Proof of Life
by Jade2099
Summary: Special Auror in Charge Harry Potter hated the press and he hated delivering briefings divulging progress on ongoing investigations. Hermione Granger was abducted a fortnight ago. How is Draco Malfoy involved and who makes the ultimate sacrifice?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I am not, of course, JK Rowling. It's not often that I play with her characters, but I thought I would give it a go…again. Thank you to everyone who reviewed my first story and added it to their favorites. I hope this one entertains as well.

Harry Potter hated the press. It was one facet of his job that he dreaded and tried every Slytherin tactic he'd learned from his former rivals in order to avoid having to appear in front of those vultures. It never worked, mind you. Harry Potter was the most recognizable face the Wizarding world had after defeating Voldemort and earning the unfortunate moniker of "Harry Potter, Boy-Who-Lived-to-Grow-Up-to-Become-the-Man-Who-Killed-Voldemort." Try getting that on letterhead! The Minister of Magical Law Enforcement, a former Slytherin himself (do you ever really outgrow your House tendencies?), recognized the advantages early on of throwing Harry to the wolves. The face of Harry Potter briefing the press about ongoing investigations meant that the public backlash and panic would be at a minimum. It didn't hurt that Harry's arrest record was second to no one in the department which lent heavily to his credibility with the public. _Saint Potter!_ That's what Malfoy called him every other Sunday during the Weasley Quidditch Pick-Up Game. _Malfoy_. Harry drew in a deep breath and allowed his gaze to fall upon the small woman huddled on the settee next to a tall, broad shouldered platinum blonde man dressed impeccably for someone who'd fought alongside him in the evening's battle. He watched as the older man brushed away a lock of hair from her face and gently began to stroke her hair as she whimpered in her sleep. It was an intimate gesture that demonstrated the relationship the two had with one another. Another example of how the Wizarding world had changed since the fall of Voldemort. Of course, the very reason they all sat in this cramped little room was to discuss the matter of how the Wizarding world had _not_ changed.

"Lucius," Harry began quietly as he looked toward the pair, pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to stave off a migraine, "How is she?"

Lucius Malfoy, the epitome of decorum, allowed his concern to visibly surface for a brief moment before the cool mask of indifference that normally graced his features fell firmly into place, "As well as to be expected, Harry."

Harry ran the palms of his hands over his thighs, realizing for the first time that his clothes were full of dirt, tar, and smoke from the battle that raged that evening – or was it yesterday now? Everything happened so fast. He had desperately needed a bath, a stiff drink, and he'd even craved a cigarette (something he'd not desired in years) after all he'd witnessed. His only concern had been for her and that concern had kept him focused. She needed him now more than ever and he regretted not being more involved in her life over the last few months. He had to admit that the man gently running his fingers through her hair had been more involved than any of her friends and that was something that would haunt him until the day he died.

"Special Auror Potter?" a quiet voice from the hallway floated into the room as a young brunette dressed in a three-piece suit poked her head through the door.

"Yes, Miss Calloway?" a weary Harry responded as he dug his hands in the pockets of his trousers.

"They're ready for you," she told him gently, a half smile gracing her lips.

_Fuck._

"Thank you Miss Calloway. I will be out in a moment," Harry nodded and turned his attention to the elder Malfoy, "Are you sure about this Lucius? Once this is public—"

Lucius Malfoy slowly rose from the settee, extricating himself from the sleeping woman next to him, "I am prepared for the repercussions."

Harry nodded sharply and turned to the other man standing in the corner, "Ron, will you wake her up in a few minutes? I'm sure she'll want to review her notes before taking the podium."

"'Course mate," Ron told him quietly as he pushed off the wall to sit next to the sleeping woman, "She's bloody amazing, you know?"

Lucius Malfoy raised an eyebrow in mock surprise before drawling, "If you are only realizing that for yourself at this late juncture, Mr. Weasley, then perhaps you are a greater fool than I could have possibly imagined."

Ron's face reddened terribly and Harry had to hold a hand up to maintain order, "Lucius, if you will take your place in the crowd. Ron, wake her up in a second. Time to face the wolves."

"Like a lamb to slaughter, mate," Ron mumbled as he shook his head in commiseration, looking down at the young woman beside him as her eyelids fluttered rapidly, her mind wrapped in a dream.

Harry Potter cracked his neck and shook out his limbs as he mentally prepared himself to face the press corps. Judging from the dull roar of coming from the briefing room he suspected that half the journalists in the Wizarding world were here to listen to what he had to say. He hated the flashing bulbs of the cameras. They reminded him too much of the blinding spells Death Eaters used during the last Wizarding War. Taking a deep breath and shuffling the papers in front of him, Harry Potter pushed open the press room door.

The noise level abruptly went from loud buzz to deathly silent as a strong, brown-haired man with piercing green eyes walked purposely to the middle of the stage and placed his hands on either side of the podium. The journalists readied quills and sat forward in rapt attention as they waited for any indication as to why they were here. Many of them were called in the wee hours of the morning to let them know a press conference would be held to update the public on the high priority case Potter worked on, but at 6am there had to be some type of significant development. No one would call a press conference at this ungodly hour unless someone was dead. That was the speculation. The high profile Ministry abduction had to have resulted in a death or Harry Potter would not be standing in front of them, stone faced, at 6:00 in the morning looking like he'd just been through a war zone.

"For those of you who do not know me," he began wearily, leaning on the podium in a distinctly unprofessional pose, and paused as the press room chuckled at the thought that there would be _anyone_ in the Wizarding world who did _not_ know who _he_ was," I am Harry Potter, Senior Auror in Charge (SAIC) of the investigation involving the disappearance of Deputy Minister of Magical Law Enforcement, Hermione Granger. Ms. Granger's abduction on 20th June turned up few leads, as you well know, and the case grew cold quite quickly."

Low murmurs spread through the room as Harry paused for effect. He chastised himself sardonically for his choice of words because gauging their reaction he knew they expected him to announce that they had found a body. Of course there had been bodies. There had been casualties. He took in a deep, steadying breath as his battle-fatigued body began to come down from its adrenaline high.

"Deputy Minister Granger was recovered last night in Wiltshire—" Harry wincing as the room exploded into chaos, journalists leaping to their feet and flashbulbs snapped photographs of the Auror revealing this piece of information.

"Is Deputy Minister Granger dead?" came one question.

"Who kidnapped her?" another asked.

"How do you respond to the allegations that you are too close to this case?" a red-haired woman asked as she tapped her quill to her parchment.

"Did your friendship cause Deputy Minister Granger her life?" a man with a heavy Eastern European accent demanded.

"Where in Wiltshire was she found?" a fat man with a shiny forehead asked pensively.

"Were they Death Eaters?" a woman asked in a tone that was bordering on panic.

"Was she violated?" came the voice of a squeaky woman wearing giant glasses from the front row.

Even Harry Potter's patience had its limit. He ran a single hand through his unkempt hair and growled into the microphone startling the gallery into a dead silence. His eyes flashed in anger as he sought to meet the gaze of every single witch and wizard in the room.

"If you _vultures_ would allow me to complete the briefing," he snapped as he leaned forward again at the podium, "you would have your answers. Now shut up, sit down, and listen to what I have to say or so help me Merlin I will make what I did to Voldemort look like a day at the beach compared to what I do to all of you!"

Suddenly it felt as though all of the oxygen in the room vanished and the group of over 50 journalists, thoroughly chastised, sunk to their respective seats. Harry shook his head and regained his composure, looking off to his left in an attempt to make eye contact with someone out of the prying eyes of the press.

"Last night at approximately 20:00, a group of Aurors and members of Special Branch arrived in Wiltshire to act upon intelligence from a well-placed operative that Deputy Minister Granger would be ready for extraction. Special Branch located her four days into her captivity and immediately attempted to extract her; however, the Deputy Minister recognized the need for intelligence thus choosing to remain behind at great peril to her person."

_Hermione wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her head against the wall as she contemplated her situation. By her estimation she'd been sitting in this cold, dark dungeon cell for the "better part of four days and she was concerned. The well-placed stunner had hit him directly in the chest rendering him unconscious immediately. He hadn't been taken with her, which was surprising given the history between her captors and his family, and she'd never been pressed about his appearance in her home. That meant he was either dead or…dead. She closed her eyes in silent contemplation as she cursed the day she ever thought going to dinner with that man would be a good idea._

_ "Granger," a voice whispered off to her left side from just beyond the metal bars lining her cell._

_ Hermione startled, felt herself scramble backward into the corner of the room. She was surely hearing things. He couldn't be here. He wouldn't be here. Her body began to tremble in fear as she suddenly began to wonder if the third option – he was part of this whole bloody kidnapping – suddenly blazed into the forefront of her mind._

_ "C'mon Granger," he drawled, his pale face entering the scant light provided by a single candle outside her door, "We need to go. Now."_

_Her eyes widened as she regarded his appearance. He was dressed completely in black, only his platinum locks and steel grey eyes offering any indication as to his identity. She was momentarily stunned because he looked like he'd stepped out of a Special Forces unit. But, he was a business man! Wasn't he? _

"_Granger," he growled low as he fumbled with the locking mechanism on the door, "I don't have time to explain all this to you but I need to get you out of here now! Move it!"_

_She shook her head slowly as she regarded him, "You're Special Branch?"_

"_Fucking hell, Granger we don't have time for this!" he snapped as he threw open the door and bent down to grab her arm roughly._

"_No!" she pulled away from him, the force propelling her roughly into the wall._

"_What the hell do you mean, no?" his eyes turned dark and menacing as he closed the distance between them._

_Swallowing hard she squared her shoulders, "I mean no. We don't even know what they want!"_

"_What they want?" he laughed darkly as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration, "They want to _kill_ you Granger. They want to torture you and make you an example for the entire Wizarding world!"_

"_No one has touched me—"_

"_That doesn't mean they won't!" he hissed as he grabbed her arm roughly again._

"_If they are rallying dark forces—"_

"_Granger, don't play games. Don't be foolish," he closed his eyes to steady the emotions that threatened to consume him._

"_Something doesn't make sense!" her eyes trailed down to the hand biting into her flesh, "This is all too…neat. They breached my _wards_. No one breaches my wards."_

_He smirked and quirked an eyebrow, "They are impressive wards indeed."_

_She rolled her eyes as his death grip on her arm loosened, "There are few people capable of doing it and these idiots are _not_ part of that group."_

"_What are you saying Mia?" he asked quietly as he searched her face, torn between wanting to throttle her and throw her over his shoulder thereby whisking her to safety._

_Her eyes softened at his use of her nickname, "I'm saying that they had to have help from someone in the Ministry."_

_He swore and turned his back to her, "We've suspected."_

_She raised an eyebrow and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Why didn't you tell me?"_

"_I don't give the orders, Granger," he replied tersely as he once again faced her, "I only follow them."_

"_Don't do that," she shook her head sadly as she reached up to cup his cheek with her left hand, "Why didn't you tell me you were in Special Branch? Why the secrecy? More importantly, why are my departments hiding something this significant from the Deputy Minister?"_

"_Because we suspect someone within the Department is sympathetic to Voldemort. We suspect that the three Death Eaters you saw are not the only ones suspiciously absent from Azkaban. Only a hand full of people knows about this: Potter, Weasley, myself and the operative positioned within this new dark alliance," he told her through clenched teeth, "Mia, we have to get you out of here."_

"_Do we know who the sympathizer is?" she asked quietly as she swallowed the lump in her throat._

"_No," he shook his head as his shoulders slumped forward._

"_Who is the operative on the inside?"_

_He shook his head; his eyes becoming bright as tears suddenly swam in his line of sight, "Don't ask me that Hermione."_

_Hermione nodded as she returned to a seated position on the dirty floor of her cell, "Well then, I'll just have to see what I can find out then and between the two of us, whomever he is, we should be able to shut them down."_

"_Are you out of your bloody mind?" he raged and towered over her, "You will _not_ stay here! I will _not_ risk your life!"_

"_My love," she sighed as she looked up at him, "If I stay, we are more likely to draw out the culprits and we can end this now."_

"_What's a few more months or years compared to a foolhardy Gryffindor sense of rushing in and asking questions later?" he closed his eyes in resignation. He knew she would do this. That was her way._

"_You forget I survived Voldemort," she told him softly, her hand reaching up to thread her fingers into his, "I may be behind a desk, love, but there was a time when I was in the field right alongside Harry."_

"_I know," she barely heard the words before he slipped a small, wooden barrette into her hand._

"_What's this?" she frowned as she looked down to the object in her hand._

"_A replacement wand," he told her evenly and stepped back from her, "It's undetectable. A charm of my creation, I might add. It will respond to you."_

"_How?"_

"_I know you Mia," he told her sadly as he walked over to the cell door, "I knew you wouldn't leave. I had hoped…but I knew better. I told Potter. I told Weasley. You're too damned Gryffindor! It's going to get you killed."_

"_I love you," she called to him and he froze, rigid._

"_If you don't let me walk out of here now, Granger," the danger in his tone unmistakable, "I'll throw you over my shoulder and risk any hex you can throw at me because by the Gods, woman I love you too and this is killing me."_

_She squeezed his shoulder and leaned her head against his rigid back, "I'm not going anywhere. I would fight Death himself to ensure I come back to you. Don't you forget it."_

_He nodded and let himself out of the cell. She watched as he disappeared into the blackness of the dungeon before slowly sinking to the floor again. She hoped she was doing the right thing. _


	2. Chapter 2

Ron gently shook the young woman awake and watched as she bolted to a seated position, her hair sticking up at awkward angles, dark bruises under her eyes, and an aura of sadness about her. He placed a hand on her shoulder to steady her and then pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

"How are you holdin' up 'Mione?" Ron asked softly as he studied her face.

She closed her eyes for a moment, the dream she'd been having rattling her nerves, "Are they ready for me?"

Ron did not press her further, recognizing that she avoided his question, "Harry's out there now."

She frowned as she looked around the room, a moment of panic gripping her, "Where's Lucius?"

"Easy 'Mione," Ron cooed quietly as he rubbed a gentle circle on the small of her back, "He's in the crowd, just as you asked for."

She nodded curtly and slowly rose to unsteady feet. As her gaze fell upon the clock she was amazed that it had only been a few scant hours ago that everything seemed to explode around her. She could smell the burning timber and hear the cries of house elves trapped within the kitchens as the blaze threatened to overtake them all. It wasn't supposed to happen like that. Wasn't supposed to happen like that at all.

"'Mione? Hey!" Ron frowned as he watched his best friend completely zone out, lost in the events of the evening.

She blinked twice and looked back to him, "Sorry."

"Don't apologize, 'Mione," he told her softly as he pulled her to him, "You've been through a lot."

"Has there been any—"

"No," Ron cut her off before she could ask any more questions. He'd been told to avoid the subject at all costs. Her sanity was hanging by a thread and the Healers feared that any discussion in this vein would only serve to push her over the edge. He prayed to Merlin that it resolved itself or the Wizarding world would feel the wrath of Hermione Granger. No one would be safe. He shuddered at the thought. She was downright scary when provoked. He turned her toward the door and led her out to the press conference.

Harry Potter turned his attention back to the reporters, seeing that Ron and Hermione were now in position, "Over the subsequent fortnight, Deputy Minister Granger and our operative inside the ring of Dark Wizards worked tirelessly to uncover the motive behind this kidnapping and the greater plot that surrounded it. I will defer, now, to Deputy Minister Granger who will provide you with the remaining details."

Once again the room was in an uproar. Hermione Granger. Only a day after her release from a fortnight in captivity and she was issuing a formal statement. Speculation ran rampant. The names of every Dark Wizard were bandied about: _Lestrange. Nott. Parkinson. Malfoy._ Harry stepped back and motioned for someone off stage to join him. He hoped to hell that she was up to this.

Hermione Granger took in a deep, steadying breath, her hands smoothing the wrinkles in her emerald green pencil skirt, and closed her eyes in a silent prayer. She needed to be strong. For him. She wouldn't be here if he hadn't risked his life to save her. _His life_, she mused as she shook her head to stop that line of thinking. A ghost of a smile graced her lips as she thought of what he might tell her, right now, before she sent herself into the lion's den, _C'mon Granger. Where's that Gryffindor courage you're so famous for?_

"Hermione?" Harry stood before her and gently placed his hands on her upper arms, his eyes searching her face, worry clear in his eyes.

"I'm fine Harry," she blinked and waved him off, her voice betraying the fact that she was not, indeed, fine at all.

"You don't have to do this," he told her sharply as he removed his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose as his head throbbed painfully.

"You know I do," she told him evenly, her lip trembling slightly, "I won't let his sacrifice be for nothing, Harry. We have the name of one person, but we need the man in charge. If we don't tip our hand slightly we'll never know if we're right. We need to be right, Harry. Someone has to pay."

"I don't like it when you put yourself in danger," Harry sighed, momentarily forgetting the room brimming with people.

"You sound like him—"she scoffed dryly.

"Well, I know for a _fact_ he didn't like it either," Harry smiled with a mischievous grin on his face.

"I don't either and I reckon neither does he," Ron agreed as he nodded into the crowd.

Hermione smiled as she made eye contact with a familiar face, hidden in the shadows, "Be that as it may. I'm doing this and unless you plan on stunning me, I'd suggest you get the hell out of my way."

Harry stepped aside, an arm wide leading her to the podium. She shuffled the papers in her hands as the clicks of cameras distracted her from the task at hand. She could feel Harry directly behind her, willing his strength into her. She tried desperately to look into the crowd, but found her mettle tested. Hermione Granger was afraid and it was evident to any person sitting in that room. She hated herself for her weakness. A flash went off directly in front of her, causing her to blink slowly and raise her gaze to the audience. All she could hear was the dull roar of her heart pounding in her ears. As her eyes, wide with panic, surveyed the audience they locked on steel grey. A wave of calm passed over her, her face visibly relaxed, and she steeled herself for what was to come. It was his nearly imperceptible nod, the silent communication she had come to treasure, that reminded her that there was more to do today and Hermione Granger was not one to leave an assignment incomplete.

"Thank you for coming," her voice began quietly, her eyes blinking slowly as flashbulbs erupted around her once again, "SAIC Potter has provided you with the background concerning this investigation. My role is to provide you with the details. It has come to my attention during my captivity that several members of this body have made false accusations concerning some of the families allied with the Dark Lord known as Voldemort. These families were subject to trial under the Dark Wizard Act and acquitted of all wrongdoings in relation to the 2nd Wizarding War. Once I return to my post in a full-time capacity, be assured that I will launch a formal investigation personally and determine whether formal charges should be filed with the Wizengamot."

Ron and Harry, with raised eyebrows, shared a knowing look and a smirk worth of Draco Malfoy graced both their faces. Ron had brief Hermione the moment she arrived at St. Mungos, the Healers seeing to her care strong recommending that her mind be occupied with complex information to remove her focus from the night's raid. Ron shuddered as he remembered her wild look and wondered if she'd been channeling Bellatrix Lestrange. He shook himself from those thoughts momentarily as Hermione shuffled her papers and began recounting the last fortnight in captivity, her voice gaining strength with each passing moment.

"On 20th June, I arrived at my flat in London to begin preparing an intimate dinner," she began determinedly but found her mind wandering back to that evening even as her voice droned on with the details.

_It had been a warm June evening, the sun was setting and a hint of lavender wafted through her apartment from the open window in her sitting room. Barber's _Adagio for Strings_ played in the background as she diligently chopped a red onion on her cutting board, her eyes closed in concentration and appreciation of the classical piece. The fumes from the vegetable stinging her eyes, she quickly changed positions and picked up a black plastic spoon, inserting it into a pot of boiling water on the stove behind her. She smiled softly as she stirred four times clockwise, three times counterclockwise, and then twice more clockwise admiring the pasta that cooked under the agitated water. Turning back to the onion on the cutting board, she once again picked up her knife to complete the task of dicing. She was looking forward to dinner. It would be the first time they'd shared a meal in her home. Once again she found herself smiling as the classical piece reached a crescendo, the point at which she always found herself drawn into the feeling. Sometimes it was melancholy. Sometimes it was righteousness. Tonight. Tonight it felt slightly foreboding. If she had only known._

"At 18:30, my guest arrived via the floo network and we proceeded to the kitchen where I completed dinner preparations," she continued mechanically, her eyes surveying the crowd, "At approximately 19:00, the wards I placed on my flat fell suddenly and without warning. These wards, my own design and creation, could only be breached by a highly skiled individual with experience in multiple layer warding – a discipline specialized by no more than 15 worldwide – or someone I'd entrusted with the modulation."

Once again the low murmur of shock and surprise from the gallery ripped through the room and Hermione paused to allow the noise to settle down. She looked over her shoulder to Harry and Ron, her best friends, and was encouraged by Harry's slight nod for her to continue.

"Three individuals apparated into my sitting room taking me and my guest completely unaware. These individuals have been identified as Rabastan Lestrange, Rodolphus Lestrange, and Bellatrix Lestrange."

"Impossible!" cried a reporter from the gallery.

"Bellatrix Lestrange was skilled by Molly Weasley in the Final Battle!" a journalist from _The Daily Prophet_ exclaimed, jumping from his seat to thrust his quill forward at her.

"Please, settle down everyone!" Harry stepped forward and waved his arms in a flapping motion.

"What if she's telling the truth?" a woman shrieked as she turned to her colleague, her eyes wide with fear.

"What of the Malfoys?" one man shouted from the back row.

"The Lestranges are their family!" another voice piped up.

"Is Draco Malfoy the new Dark Lord?" someone pondered a little too loudly for the preference of the man hiding in the shadows behind them.

Hermione stumbled backward into a hard wall of flesh as the questions caught her off guard. She wasn't prepared for the level of vehemence toward the Malfoys and it only served to remind her of her own uncertainty early on. She was ashamed that she had even doubted them. Her breathing became shallow as she struggled to contain the rising panic. In this room were people she had known for years as press liaison to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and some she had even deemed to call friends. Her eyes were wide in horror as she watched the vultures descend. Her entire body trembled. A dull roar rushed to her ears causing her resolve to falter as strong hands steadied her.

"Perhaps," a voice boomed over the cacophony causing the gallery to turn around to face its owner, "you might allow Ms. Granger the courtesy of delivering her statement before maligning the character of my son."

The entire room became deathly quiet as all of the occupants turned audibly toward the back of the room where Lucius Malfoy stood in the shadows. A hand on his cane he walked forward through the crowd, his head held high as he nodded to some of the people he recognized and made his way to the podium where he placed a hand on Hermione Granger's shoulder, whispering something in her ear. The room erupted again with flashbulbs as everyone became shocked at the open display between the two enemies. Several reporters began to question whether she was under the influence of an Unforgivable and Hermione's patience snapped.

"Auror Hanley and Auror Pierce," she snapped forcibly into the microphone causing everyone in the room to jump, "Please escort these two journalists out of the room and place them in a holding cell until I can file formal charges. I will remind you _all_ that making false accusations with regard to the use of Unforgivable curses is subject to an immediate 14-day sentence in Azkaban under the Dark Wizard Act, Paragraph 14, Subsection 25."

Ron leaned over to Harry, "Mate, she's gone off the deep end."

Harry shook his head and turned his attention back to Hermione. While he might agree throwing that obscure statue at the journalists was a bit harsh, it was a provision added to the legislation at the last minute to stave off erroneous reporting conducted by Rita Skeeter in the days after the War, the act itself had restored order to this motley crew in a way he'd never witnessed.

"Bellatrix Lestrange fired the first hex, a body-bind, and attempted to subdue my guest. He—" she stopped for a moment as her throat closed involuntarily cutting off her oxygen, "He fell to the ground several feet from my location and did not move. Rabastan Lestrange and Rodolphus Lestrange each attempted to disarm me until after several minutes Bellatrix Lestrange was able to use the Unforgiveable curse _Crucio_ to subdue me. I lost consciousness after several minutes and was taken to an undisclosed location."

"Ms. Granger?" the red head from _The Daily Prophet_ raised her quill tentatively.

"Yes, Dawn?" Hermione sighed as she watched the woman tremble in fear.

"Who was your dinner guest? Did he survive the altercation?" she asked quietly, the entire room appeared to be waiting on bated breath for her answer.

Tears sprang to her eyes as she tried to will away the images from the previous night, she let out a ragged breath and answered hoarsely, "Draco Malfoy."


	3. Chapter 3

The room once again exploded at this revelation. Draco Malfoy, _Witch Weekly's _Most Eligible Bachelor and consummate ladies man and the Ministry's Ice Princess together? This was news! This was worth getting up at this obscene hour to witness! The room was alight with activity as once again the questions flew quickly in her direction.

"How long were you together?"

"Did Mr. Malfoy survive the altercation?"

"Are his skills as legendary as his past conquests allege?"

"Where is Mr. Malfoy?"

"Did he betray you, Deputy Minister?"

At this last question, a pin could have dropped in the room and it would have sounded like an avalanche. Hermione's face went from pale to beet red in 2.3 seconds as her hands gripped the sides of the podium painfully.

"How dare you!" she growled, her eyes sparking with anger as her magic, seemingly uncontrolled, crackled around you, "How dare you malign his character! Draco Malfoy is the _reason _I am standing here today! He is _not_ a Death Eater! He did _not_ betray me! You people are so hell bent on creating some sensational story that you don't even listen! You don't even care!"

Lucius Malfoy stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on Hermione's and smiled sadly. She turned to face him quickly and immediately lowered her head in shame for her outburst. He hooked a finger under her chin and raised her gaze to meet his. He shook his head slightly, admonishing her with his eyes for even believing she should be ashamed of her passionate defense of his son. He was proud of the little lioness. She was everything he could have ever hoped for in a mate for his son. He gently led handed her to Ron Weasley who wrapped his arms around her and led her off the stage to regain her composure.

"It is not the habit of the Malfoy patriarch to comment on the private life of his sole heir," Lucius began stiffly as he turned his attention to the reporters, "However, given the nature of this investigation it is prudent to explain that Ms. Granger and my son began their relationship in secret nearly six months ago."

_She shook her head in amazement, her eyes dancing with mirth as she watched him inspect the sizzling hot plate in front of her. He flinched as his hand got too close to the cast iron skillet and he let loose a string of curse words that would have caused his mother to surely wash his mouth out with soap. Hermione bit back a laugh as she refrained from commenting, knowing that anything said at the moment would undoubtedly send him over the edge. She had to give him credit for not immediately running out of the restaurant when she explained that the peanut shells on the floor were customary in the state of Texas back in the United States. He had, after all, expressed an interest in eating somewhere Muggle and somewhere that didn't cater to an English-style meal. No one from Hogwarts would ever believe that _he_ would have ever set foot in a Texas Roadhouse and no one would believe her if she told them that _he_ eyed the sizzling fajita plate in front of her with growing suspicion as though he expected it to somehow attack him. He tentatively sat back in the long, leather booth and placed his fork and knife in his hand in preparation of cutting his 12 ounce ribeye steak when suddenly his eyes flashed brightly and his trademark smirk graced his lips making him look devastatingly handsome._

_ "You know, Granger," he began as he waved his fork in front of him, "I won't be deterred."_

_ Hermione froze momentarily, her fork mid-air with pieces of chicken fajita meat poised over a soft flour tortilla, "I beg your pardon?"_

_ He leaned forward as though he intended to tell her a secret when he once again flashed a brilliant smile, "Bringing me here."_

"_What are you on about Malfoy?" she asked as she set her silverware down and reached for her Coke, her face barely hiding her amusement._

"_The way I see it," he told her matter-of-factly as he began to cut into his steak, "You decided to bring me to a place with peanut shells on the floor. Peanut shells, Granger! You ordered the noisiest dish I have ever seen. I mean, who the hell needs to have their veg jumping on the plate? It was a test, Granger, and I have every intention of passing. You won't be rid of me that easily. Very Slytherin of you, I might add."_

_She sat there gob smacked, her Coke just inches from her lips as she allowed his momentary candidness to sink in. Either she was very transparent or he was the most perceptive man on the planet. She'd been leery of going out on a date with him. He'd asked her to dinner three times before and always she'd declined. When he finally told her that he wasn't taking no for an answer and she could pick the restaurant, well, she figured that she would attempt to rattle her former enemy. After all, what's a little payback for six years of teasing and torment by all of the Hogwarts Slytherins? She was amazed at how calm and collected he was at that moment as he chewed on his first piece of steak. She's expected him to sneer and insult the establishment and act like she'd always known him to act. Could she have been so wrong about Draco Malfoy?_

"_This is really good, Granger. You should try a bite," he grinned, his blue eyes twinkling in a way that reminded her of Albus Dumbledore, and he held out his fork for her just a few inches from her lips._

_Her lips opened of their own accord as she set down her glass and soon the meat was placed gently on her tongue. She chewed and nodded her agreement as Draco leaned back in his seat, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Yes, oh yes, there was more to Draco Malfoy than even she could have imagined._

"Given their rather precarious and heated past, not to mention their prominent positions in the Wizarding world, they felt it prudent to keep their relationship secret. As I understand it from my son, he and Ms. Granger were reacquainted through Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley sometime early last year after he consulted with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement on a matter of security. Ms. Granger and my son notified friends and family of their budding union shortly after formal courting began," Lucius paused as he frowned slightly, looking admonishingly at the group in front of him.

_It was the infamous "third date" and Hermione was running around her room trying to find just the right shirt to wear. Draco had invited her over to his flat for dinner and he promised her that the meal would be cooked by his own hand and not by one of his house elves. He'd confessed to her on their "second date" that he enjoyed the subtle nuances of cooking and it reminded him of potions. She cursed herself for agreeing to meet him at his house and he cursed Ginevra Weasley for ever having lunch with her today. Oh Ginny Weasley was a master of the dating scene. At first she'd been surprised that Hermione had chosen to date Draco Malfoy, the Wizarding world's most eligible (but elusive) bachelor. Hermione, of course, had sworn her best friend to secrecy because both she and Draco led very public lives and it was only the "third date" after all. Ginny, upon hearing this news, first swore she'd not reveal the budding relationship but squealed in delight as she launched into a monologue about jealous she was that Hermione would finally be able to confirm or deny whether the Slytherin Sex God actually held up to the hype. Hermione dropped her tea cup to the table causing the hot liquid to slosh precariously over the cup and let out a string of unladylike curses. Draco's influence, undoubtedly. _

_Sex. Hermione hadn't really thought about sex yet. Ok, who was she kidding? Of _course_ she'd thought about sex with Draco Malfoy! Who wouldn't? The man exuded sex and mystery! She smiled wickedly as she pulled on a t-shirt as she remembered just how talented he was with his tongue. Several snogging sessions had rendered her incapable of forming a complete thought, but always Draco had been a gentleman. Sex on the "third date" seemed farfetched. Surely he didn't invite her over for that? She worried over her appearance, the tight blue jeans that hugged her curves and the white t-shirt that left little to the imagination, and wondered if he thought she was easy? How the hell would she know about sex on the "third date" anyway? She rarely made it past the first date with most men. She'd never really played the field choosing to focus on her career rather than the pool of available men. It paid off for her because she was the youngest Deputy Minister of Magical Law Enforcement ever to walk the halls of the Ministry all at the age of 25. She was proud of her achievement. Most men were intimidated by her. Ron called her "scary" more often than not and no one she'd seen casually in the past had ever seemed to hold her interest long enough to warrant a "third date."_

_ Now that Hermione sat on a black leather bar stool overlooking the kitchen island while Draco watched his main meal simmer, she found herself utterly confused. A confused Hermione Granger was an uncouth Hermione Granger. As he reached for his glass of white wine, the rim had barely touched his lips before her bluntness caught him off guard._

_ "Just what are your intentions with me this evening?" she asked quickly causing him to pause mid-sip._

_ He turned to her, a frown on his face and a slight smirk on his lips, "Whatever do you mean, Granger?"_

_ She took in a deep breath and squared her shoulders, which signaled to Draco that he was going to be in for a lecture, "Well, it's the "third date" and I haven't been on many "third dates" and sex isn't something to be entered into lightly."_

_ Draco swallowed the wine in his mouth slowly, regarding the petite witch in front of him. He certainly hadn't expected _that_ question from her. Truth be told he hadn't had any expectations of the evening except to enjoy her company. He'd been pleasantly surprised just how comfortable he'd been with her and just how much he'd enjoyed conversing with her. Ok, the snogging sessions left him harder than steel but he was 25 years old not a damned firstie. He knew how to control his hormones._

_ "Because if you have any notions of that this evening—"_

_ "May I speak?" he interrupted her diatribe with a single raised hand._

_ She blinked twice and then nodded, "Of course."_

_ "Well, considering this is a conversation we're having about our relationship I'd like to have an honest dialogue. As adults," he began as he searched her face and, for the first time, recognizing that she was undoubtedly out of her element when it came to this particular subject, "We can't have that level of conversation if you're "Grangering" me."_

_ She recoiled as though she'd been slapped, "Grangering?"_

_ "I am not Potter or Weasley, Granger," he shrugged as he smiled softly, "I don't need a lecture. I'm happy to answer your questions and have a dialogue with you, but I won't be treated like child or Ministry lackey."_

_ "But I'm not—"_

_ "Tut tut," he chuckled as he watched her eyes grow wide with concern, "I didn't hear a question. Was there something you wanted to ask me?"_

_ She at least had the courtesy to look sheepishly at him, "Did you bring me here and cook dinner for me because you expect to sleep with me?"_

_ Draco chuckled softly as he took another sip of his wine before coming around the kitchen island to stand in front of Hermione, "Now, that wasn't hard was it?"_

_ "Draco," she sighed as she folded her arms across her chest in an effort to make herself feel less exposed._

_ "Do you feel ready for that step in this relationship?" he countered her question with one of his own and watched her face carefully for any hint as to what she was feeling._

_ "I like you," she told him and blushed horribly._

_ "And?" he prodded as he took a step closer to her, her gaze no longer able to meet his eyes but rather his pectoral muscles._

_ "I—" she swallowed hard as she slowly raised her chin so she could look into his eyes, "I haven't been on a third date before Draco."_

_ He smiled as he reached out to stroke her cheek, "Then we're agreed that we take things slow, yeah?"_

_ She smiled brilliantly and nodded, "Ok."_

_ He leaned forward so his lips gently brushed her ears, "Granger, I'm going to kiss you now."_

_ She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck as his lips gently brushed hers. The kisses were sweet and tender, full of reassurance. His tongue darted out to lick her lower lip and slid between when she parted for him. His hand rested at her waist as his tongue slowly began to trace circles around hers, creating a heated dance that might threaten to consume them. Her soft moans as she leaned into the kiss, surrendering to him, brought him back to reality and he quietly broke their embrace, returning to the stove._

_ "So," Hermione grinned devilishly, "What's for dinner?"_


	4. Chapter 4

Lucius had not seen Hermione return to the podium, but felt her presence next to him. He turned slowly as the photographers snapped pictures every few moments and regarded her for a moment. Her eyes were red and deep bruises were evident despite her attempts to conceal them with makeup spells. He could see the tear stains across her cheek and his heart broke for her as he could no longer contain his worry and concern. She smiled softly at him and squeezed his hand, an unspoken understanding and acceptance of his comfort passing between them. She mouthed the words "thank you" and resumed her place at the podium as he graciously stepped aside but remained next to Potter in a show of support for her.

"Our friends and family took the news of our relationship quite well," a ghost of a smile passed on her lips before she continued, "Two months ago we chose to make our relationship known to three key Ministry officials: the Minister of Magic, the Deputy Minister of Magic, and the Minister of Magical Law Enforcement. Our rationale was that our relationship would polarize the press ensuring front page headlines and untold Howlers. It was something the Ministry frowned upon after the sensationalism that followed the 2nd Wizarding War. We knew that the public would damn us and praise us. We knew that there would be some so vehemently opposed to our relationship that it could put one or both of us in danger. We were in love. We didn't want to hide."

_Hermione's legs dangled from the countertop as she wiped the sweat from her brow as she surveyed her work. Never in a million years did she ever believe she would pain her living room a brilliant shade of yellow and accent the crown molding in a crisp white linen color, but Draco had suggested the color combination and even helped her pick out the right shade. The outing to B&Q was fascinating because he apparently knew more about the Muggle world than he'd ever let anyone known. She smiled at the memory of him pulling paint swatches from the wall and explaining how each color would affect the mood of anyone walking into the space. His eyes were so animated and his gestures wide as he showed her several possibilities. It was quite possibly in that moment that she realized just how lucky she was to be privy to this side of him. Whenever she caught a glimpse of him at Ministry functions or out in Diagon Alley he always had an air of inapproachability. If she hadn't gotten to know him so well over the last few months she would have been far too intimidated to even say hello to the man. He was an enigma and she loved him all the more for it._

_ "What are you smiling at?" he raised an eyebrow as he replaced the lid on one of the paint cans and then stood up, stretching his limbs._

_ "Oh it's nothing," she told him as a blush crept on her cheeks and found herself looking down at her swinging limbs._

_ "A smile like that gracing your beautiful face is not nothing, Mia," he told her as he folded his arms across his chest and cocked his head to one side._

_ She chuckled and shrugged her shoulders, "Sometimes, Draco Malfoy, a smile is just a smile."_

_ The man moved with such stealth she never heard him approach until she felt his warm breath next to her ear, "Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing." _

_ Hermione shivered at the contact and slowly raised her face so she could look into his eyes, "Mother Theresa, Draco? You are _full_ of surprises."_

_ His eyes peered into hers and seemed to devour her with a single look, "It's no surprise that I love you."_

_ The smile on Hermione's lips faded as her eyes went wide, tears unbidden blurring her vision as she reached out to touch his face. This beautiful, stubborn, arrogant, and wonderful man loved her. He. Loved. Her. He grinned sheepishly as he leaned in to gently press his lips to hers. She closed her eyes momentarily to savor the tender display, but opened them again when he pulled back to regard her. It was only now that she was able to see his boyish good looks. He was dressed in black, his oversized sweatshirt, a gift from Hermione (a joke really) had beautiful script writing that proclaimed: Property of the Muggle-Born Bookworm, had specks of white paint along the sleeves and his platinum locks looked in complete disarray. He'd insisted that they do things the Muggle way today and she realized that he was often interested in learning more about the way of things in the Muggle world. He amazed her and she was thankful to whatever force brought them together because she had never been this deliriously happy in her entire life._

_ "I love you too," she told him in a whisper as her eyes met his again._

_ He reached for her, his arms slightly around her waist as his lips crushed hers in a fiery kiss. Her hands wrapped around his neck and slid upward to grab a hold of his luscious locks. His tongue danced with hers and she found herself completely consumed by him. He smelled like musk, fresh paint, and a spice that was uniquely him. She wanted to taste him, to possess him, to love him. Her legs wrapped around his waist instinctively and she pulled him closer to her. She felt his hard length grind against her and she let out a low moan. He broke their embrace momentarily and looked into her eyes, searching and hoping that she wanted this as much as he did._

_ "I want you, Mia," he told her, his voice raspy with need, "Let me make love to you."_

_ Her body trembled in a mixture of need and apprehension, "I've never—"_

_ "Shhh," he comforted her as he pulled her closer into his arms and rested his chin on her shoulder, "I know, love. Let me love you. Let me be the first to show you."_

_ "Please," she whispered as she leaned forward to capture his earlobe in her lips, sucking gently._

_ He lifted her from the counter and carried her around his waist through the sitting room, down the hallway, and into her bedroom. Crossing the room in three steps he gently set her down on her feet and brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. She looked up at him shyly, not really certain how to proceed and she shifted her weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other. He smiled at her and reached out to take a hold of her t-shirt with his hands, slowly raising it inch by inch. She raised her arms above her head as the garment rose above her breasts and the intensity of his gaze sent a hot sensation from her navel directly to her warm center, moisture immediately flooding her knickers. She blushed terribly and he stroked her cheek tenderly with a single finger, his eyes molten silver as he looked at her._

_ "You're beautiful," he told her as his eyes devoured her black lace covered breasts and his hands rested on the waistband of her black denim jeans, "I have wanted you for so long, Mia."_

_ "I've wanted you too Draco," she confessed and turned her head away, embarrassed._

_ "Never be embarrassed to admit you want me," he told her quietly as he removed his hands from her jeans to gently take her small hands into his, placing them on the bottom of his sweatshirt, "Go ahead."_

_ Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat as she pushed the sweatshirt up over his well chiseled abdomen, to his clearly defined pecs, and over his angelic face. She wondered how he kept himself in such great shape spending all the time he did in the boardroom or doing paperwork. He was an Adonis and she suddenly felt inadequate in his presence. Sensing her insecurities he pulled her body flush against his, her warmth sending shivers of need through him._

_ "Feel what you do to me, Mia," he told her throatily as he moved her hand to the front of his jeans and pressed his hard erection into her, "Only you, Mia. Gods I ache for you."_

_ Imagining what it would feel like to grab a hold of the Malfoy jewels paled in comparison to actually holding them in her hot little hands. She smiled wickedly as she applied a small amount of pressure to the growing bulge and cupped him as she ran her hand back and forth along the material earning her a low throated growl._

_ "Did I—" she pulled her hand away quickly and looked to him with alarm._

_ He chuckled warmly as he opened his eyes, "No love. That was perfect."_

_ He reached out to unbutton her trousers and slowly drew them down her hips, then her shapely thighs, over her knees, and then to the floor. He knelt in front of her, his cheek pressed to her belly, and he sighed in utter contentment as he wrapped his arms around her. Not knowing what to too Hermione began to play with his hair, her fingers creating small circles as she felt his hot breath on her lower body. She felt so exposed in her matching bra and knickers but somehow the feel of him pressed against her like a dying man in need of water made her feel strangely aroused._

_ "So beautiful," he murmured as he placed butterfly kisses on her abdomen and left a hot trail as he slowly rose to full height ending his onslaught by capturing one of her lace-covered nipples in his mouth._

_ Hermione leaned into his ministration and moaned loudly, the contact causing her inner muscles to clench and her legs to close in an attempt to relieve the growing pressure she felt. He chuckled as he moved her backward until the back of her knees hit the edge of the bed and he reached behind her to unclasp her bra with a single movement. He watched her face as his fingers gently pulled the straps of her bra down her shoulders and over her arms, throwing the garment behind him on the floor. He looked at her now, her nipples erect and areolas a dark, dusty pink that stood out against her tanned flesh. She was mesmerizing. She was breathtaking. His hand ghosted across her nipples earning a sharp intake of breath from Hermione and he smiled at his little lioness._

_ "Lie back," he told her as he wrapped an arm around her back and slowly lowered her to the bed._

_ Hermione swallowed hard and followed his instructions, the cool sheets causing Goosebumps to pebble her body and she chanced a look at Draco to take in his masculine beauty. He rose from the bed and stood next to her, reaching for the button of his jeans and removing the heavy clothing from his body. Her eyes widened as she noticed his very large erection and he decided that he didn't need to alarm her quite yet, so he opted to leave his dark green, silk boxers on for the time being. He climbed onto the bed, his left hand cupping her breast as he leaned in to taste her mouth. Her back arched into his touch as she welcomed him into her mouth. She loved the taste of him and found herself drifting away by the sheer passion of it._

_ "Touch me," he whispered in between caresses as he began to kiss her jaw, moving slowly down the curve of her neck._

_ Hermione reached out to feel the shape of his shoulders and lightly tracing the outline of his well-defined upper torso. She realize for the first time that he had very little hair to speak of, just a trail of coarse platinum hair from his navel disappearing under the waist band of his boxers._

_ "Touch me, Mia," he told her as he gently moved her hand down to the waist band of his boxers and below._

_ Her fingers touched his warm, hard length and she was surprised at how soft and smooth it felt. She felt a slight wetness at the tip, but rather than allow her to explore the phenomenon Draco moved her hand lower and lower until he placed her hand over his balls._

_ "Feel me, Mia," he whispered as he gently sucked at the juncture of her neck and shoulders, savoring the taste of vanilla he found there, "Yours. Only yours."_

_ A feeling of power washed over her at his declaration and somehow in that moment she recognized the gift he was giving her. Draco Malfoy, while experienced in the bedroom without a shadow of a doubt, was a virgin when it came to the idea of love. In that moment he was offering his heart and his soul to her in addition to his body. The feel of his tongue teasing her nipple pulled her away from any further analysis of his sentiments as another throaty moan passed her lips and her knees bent involuntarily as she felt a tremor in her womanhood._

_ "Gods Draco," she whispered as she instinctively began to stroke the length of him, her grip firm but gentle eliciting a response from him that made her smile._

_ He smiled as he nipped her right nipple and began his descent lower, leaving a trail of kisses to her navel before reaching for the elastic of her knickers. She watched him in fascination and lifted her hips as he slowly removed the last article of clothing on her body. His hands caressed her thighs and came to rest on her knees, slowly parting her legs to give him an unabashed view of her clean shaven pussy. To say he was aroused would be an understatement as he positioned himself between her legs and leaned forward to inhale her musky scent._

_ "So beautiful," he murmured as his hot breath, just inches from her mound, caused her to squirm in anticipation, "I want you to come for me, Hermione. I want to hear you scream my name as I lick your pussy and suck your clit. Do you want that?"_

_ "Yes," she whispered as she held his hungry gaze._

_ "Tell me," he demanded as he ran a finger along her slit, finding her dripping already._

_ She blushed thoroughly, the red heat flushing her chest and neck in addition to her cheeks, "I want you to do that."_

_ He stopped his ministrations momentarily and cocked his head to one side, "Do what Hermione?"_

_ She whimpered at the sudden loss of his hands on her center, "Touch me."_

_ He smirked as he resumed his flutter touches on her pussy lips, "Just touch you?"_

_ She groaned as she wriggled her hips in an attempt to draw him closer, but she realized he wasn't going to oblige her until she vocalized her need, "Suck my pussy, Draco. Please!"_

_ He smiled triumphantly as he leaned forward, his finger spreading her pussy lips wide revealing her glistening pink center, "Your wish is my command."_

_ His tongue lapped at her center and slowly ran upward until it circled her clit. Hermione moaned and fists her hands in the sheets as she felt him assault her body. His lips clamped down on her swollen nub as he sucked and nipped and played with her. She tasted sweet, like honey, and Draco found that he couldn't get enough of her, didn't want to ever have enough of her, and probably would never have enough of her. He slid a long finger into her dripping hole, stretching her body in preparation of their union. She was unbelievably tight. Her hips began to writhe underneath his ministrations and soon she had adopted the same rhythm of his fingers. His lioness was a very, very fast learner apparently. He slid a second finger inside, this time curling one of them to scrape along the top of her wall. She cried out in surprise, her pussy clenching around his fingers, as her breathing began to become labored._

_ "Like that did you?" he smirked devilishly as he quickened his assault on her pussy with his fingers._

_ "Yes," she hissed as her head moved from side to side, her eyes closed in ecstasy as she allowed her body to experience the pleasure he was giving her. No amount of self-pleasure could ever compare to what he was doing to her. She felt a familiar tightness begin to coil in her belly and her hips began to undulate wildly as she found herself trying to draw his fingers deeper inside her._

_ "Tell me how you feel, Mia," he demanded as he unlatched his lips from her clit._

_ "So good," she whimpered as she drew in a sharp breath, "Gods Draco!"_

_ He smiled and resumed his assault on her clit with his tongue and inserted a third finger into her dripping pussy earning him a low moan from his lover. He could feel her walls clenching around his fingers, pulling him inside and he felt like he would come on the spot just imagining her grip on his rock hard cock. Gods he loved her. He wanted all of her and a possessiveness he'd never felt before washed over him as he realized that he was the first man to ever see her so completely undone._

_ "Come for me my lioness," he ordered her as he quickened his thrusts and curved his fingers inside her._

_ "Oh God," she keened as he nipped her clit one last time sending her over the edge screaming his name._

_ He continued to thrust his fingers as he watched her ride her first orgasm of the evening. She was beautiful. A goddess. Her hair was splayed wildly on the pillow and her legs spread wide as she collapsed on his hand. He withdrew his fingers and slid them into his mouth, cleaning her essence from them as though he'd just eaten a bucket of fried chicken. Moving off the bed for a moment he watched her gaze meet his as she fought to catch her breath. He lowered his boxers, never leaving her gaze, and smiled as he watched her eyes widen at the sight of him. He crawled back onto the bed and fit his body on top of hers, capturing her lips in a searing kiss._

_ Her entire body was alive, tingling from the orgasm she'd experienced moments before. As he kissed her she tasted her essence on his lips and was strangely aroused. She spread her legs wide, her knees resting at his waist as she felt his hard length against her belly. She wanted this. She wanted him. She was drowning and he was her only life line. He reached between them and grasped his long member, rubbing the tip against her clit to coat it with her juices._

_ "Just relax," he told her as he brushed a stray piece of hair from her face and looked into her eyes lovingly, "We'll take it slow."_

_ She nodded, nerves starting to creep up as she felt him slowly begin to push through her entrance. The sensation was incredible. She felt stretched and full and complete as she took him inch by inch. She watched Draco's face, a mask of concentration as he desperately fought to control the instinct to take her quickly. There would be time for that later, but right now he needed to be tender and help her through the initial pain she would feel once he tore through her barrier. _

_ "Wrap your legs around me, love and then hold on to my neck," he told her quietly, his voice rocked with emotion as he stopped his forward movement, the head of his cock blocked by her barrier, "I am sorry for the pain, my lioness but it will pass. I love you."_

_ She smiled warmly and replied, "I love you too."_

_ Draco surged forward, sheathing himself into her tight channel completely and moaned loudly at the sensation. Hermione winced at the intrusion and found herself clinging to him tightly as hot tears prickled her eyes. He held himself still, his eyes closed as he held her close, and waited for her to make the first move. Her body trembled with desire and the initial pain faded quickly as she found herself wanting more. Her hips wiggled tentatively as she pulled back to look into his eyes. Slowly she felt his length withdraw from her and for a moment she thought that he'd changed his mind until he surged forward causing her to gasp. He repeated the slow movement again, this time earning a deep moan from her. He reached down between them and began to gently rub circles around her swollen clit as he claimed her mouth once again. He moved slowly at first, his thrusts long and metered as he allowed her an opportunity to become used to his size. As her walls clenched around him he began to increase his pace, her cries spurring him on and sending sensations straight to his groin. She clung to him tightly, her lips trailing hot kisses down his neck until she latched on to the curve._

_ "Mine," she hissed as she began to suck and thrust her hips forward to meet his strokes._

_ He was wildly turned on by her declaration and his thrusts began to quicken, becoming harder as he pounded into her cervix sending waves of pleasure through her body. The tight coil that sent her over the edge before was once again hovering at the surface and she began to chant his name like a prayer. Hard, short strokes and firm circles on her clit sent her quickly over the edge, her walls milking his rigid member as her legs pushed him inside her roughly._

_ "Draco!" she screamed as she threw her head back, her breasts thrust forward begging for him to take them._

_ He sucked one of the hardened peaks into his mouth as he thrust into her, his own orgasm about to shatter him as he pounded into her tight pussy. He soon fell over the edge moaning her name as he held her tightly against him. She felt him harden and then hot liquid shot inside her womb coating her as he held himself rigid in the throes of his own orgasm. She reached out to touch his face, a satisfied smile ghosting her lips as she pulled him in for a tender kiss._

_ "The reports of your prowess were not exaggerated in the least," she confessed cheekily as her eyes twinkled with mirth._

_ A deep belly laugh ripped from his lips as he slowly rolled off her and onto his back, "You little minx!"_

_ She rolled into him, placing her head in the crook of his arm and a hand over his heart, "Yeah, but you love me."_

_ He smiled genuinely and kissed the top of her head, "I do. I really, really do."_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

Hermione cleared her throat to shake her from the memory that invaded her mind and looked down at her papers, "On the evening of June 20th, Draco Malfoy apparated to the home of Harry Potter seeking his assistance. Draco—"

Harry recognized the physical signs before he heard the painful hitch in her voice. Hermione has hanging on by a thread. The exertion from the past 24-hours had finally caught up with her and he stepped forward quickly to catch her before her body collapsed under the strain. The room immediately shared a collective gasp as Harry hoisted her into his arms bridal style, turning quickly to Ron Weasley who relieved him of his precious cargo. Harry watched as Ron carried her away forgetting, momentarily, that there was anyone else in the room. A firm hand on his shoulder brought him back to reality and he nodded to Lucius Malfoy before returning to the podium.

"It's been a taxing 24-hours for Hermione," Harry began unsteadily as he tried to explain her sudden collapse, "I can fill in the rest of the story from here. Draco Malfoy survived the altercation with the Lestranges and upon reviving from the stunning hex immediately apparated to my home."

"Why would he come to you?" one of the reporters in the middle of the group asked in disbelief, "He hated you at Hogwarts!"

"People change," Harry shrugged as he sighed, his face betraying the fatigue he felt as he tried to pull the words necessary to convey the next part of this briefing, "At the end of the Wizarding war the Department of Magical Law Enforcement created Special Branch by enacting Ministry Order #156. I was appointed Division Chief, a position I hold in addition to my title as SAIC tied to the Auror Division. Special Branch, as many have speculated, is a covert intelligence branch of the MLE that's sole purpose is to ensure the security of Wizarding England. What Mr. Malfoy intimated earlier concerning Deputy Minister Granger's relationship with his son is correct; however, the matter of security that Draco Malfoy consulted on was the matter we are here to discuss today – a resurgence in Death Eater numbers and a new group calling themselves the Dark Alliance."

"What are you saying Auror Potter?" a shout was heard over the dull roar of the crowd and the scratching of quill to parchment.

"I am saying that the public persona of Draco Malfoy was a cover," Harry responded evenly as he looked to the elder Malfoy, "Draco Malfoy was a senior member of Special Branch assigned to counter terrorism and had been working with our operative inside the Dark Alliance to gather enough intelligence to destroy the organization."

Harry looked to the clock warily and groaned at finding that this briefing had been in progress for over an hour. His need to leave, to attend to Hermione, to go to St. Mungos, to go home to his girlfriend was clawing at him and he felt as though if the room didn't die down soon he was going to _Avada_ the lot of them.

"I can confirm Draco Malfoy's position within Special Branch," Ron Weasley called from the edge of the platform, striding forward purposefully as he stood beside his best friend, "I was his handler and have been for the last 7 years since he first set foot in Special Branch."

The room was shocked into silence. Ronald Weasley, bumbling Auror and all-around nice guy, worked for Special Branch and was Draco Malfoy's handler. Many of the press corps thought this entire situation too fantastical to believe. Special Branch was heavily shrouded in secrecy with only the Department of Mysteries holding more secrets. It was too hard to believe that two-thirds of the Golden Trio and the Slytherin Dragon working together to ensure the safety of the Wizarding world? The Ice Princess and the Dragon in love?

"Who was the operative on the inside?" ventured a brave reporter.

_Hermione rocked herself back and forth on the floor of her prison cell and questioned her sanity for the tenth time since Draco had reluctantly abandoned his rescue attempt. She had not seen anyone for days. She had not heard anyone for days. She'd never been particularly good at waiting and wondering. She liked to be in control. She needed to be in control. Every second she spent locked up in this damned cell was one second closer to losing her mind. She sprang to her feet and screamed in frustration as her hand slammed against the wall._

_ "I love it when they scream," a low voice cackled from just beyond her cell door and she whipped around quickly to see her captor._

_ Hermione steeled herself as the door opened and Bellatrix Lestrange stepped into the small confined space. The woman looked positively mad. There was absolutely no way that this was a polyjuiced version of her – the madness in her eyes could not be easily replicated by another. The way she eyed Hermione sent chills down the young woman's spine. It was feral. Unpredictable. Unstable. Dangerous._

_ "Does the little mudblood not like her accommodations?" Bella cackled as she ran one of her long fingers down the side of Hermione's cheek purposefully digging her nail into the tender flesh._

_ Hermione flinched as she felt her skin break and warm, sticky blood trickle down the side of her face but she refused to scream, "Oh, it's adequate enough. It's not the Ritz, but it'll do."_

_ She heard the crack of flesh hitting flesh before she felt the blow to her head served by a wicked backhand from the manic standing before her. The force of the blow sent her reeling backward, her head connecting with the wall painfully as her breath seemed to expel from her lungs all at once. In an instant the crazed witch was upon her, pulling her roughly by the hair to her feet and throwing her painfully into the iron bars that lined her cell._

_ "I'll have no cheek from you," she hissed, her body pressing into Hermione's painfully as she yanked her hair for good measure, "I know someone will enjoy breaking you, mudblood."_

_ Bella's tongue snaked out of her mouth to lap the blood that trailed down her face in a single motion. Hermione shuddered in disgust from the display and closing her eyes tight in an attempt to make this particular nightmare end. Bella grabbed her by the neck and pushed her toward the open door, sending her stumbling painfully to the dirt floor below scraping her hands as they broke her fall._

_ "Playing with the mudblood without me, love?" the unmistakable voice of Rodolphus Lestrange echoed through the dungeons._

_ Bella grabbed Hermione by the hair once again and hoisted her to her feet, "Just getting started. Gotta wait for _him_ before the real fun starts."_

_ Rodolphus laughed, his eyes menacing as he seemed to undress Hermione with his eyes as his wife held the struggling witch in an iron grip, "Pity. I would so have loved to show this mudblood her place."_

_ Hermione spit at his feet, "Fuck you!"_

_ Murderous, Rodolphus grabbed Hermione roughly by the neck with a speed she hadn't thought the large man possessed and lifted her six inches from the ground. Her feet kicked wildly as her oxygen supply was viciously cut off by his meaty grip and her hands clawed wildly in an effort to remove him from her person. With his free hand he grabbed her left breast roughly and squeezed painfully. Tears once again pricked her eyes as she struggled in vain against her captor._

_ "Not so brave now, eh mudblood?" he hissed as he pulled her face closer to him so he could stare into her eyes._

_ Seizing the opportunity, Hermione quickly brought her head forward and connected roughly with Rodolphus'. The effect was immediate as she heard two howls from either side of her and a rush of air filling her lungs as she landed unceremoniously to the ground._

_ "Fucking mudblood bitch!" Rodolphus cursed as he wiped blood away from his forehead and whipped out his wand as Bellatrix did the same._

_ "_Crucio!_" came the tandem spell and Hermione, already coughing due to lack of oxygen, attempted to brace herself for the onslaught._

_ Every muscle in her body felt as though a fire had been lit beneath the skin, boiling her blood and tearing her flesh. A scream ripped from her lungs, expelling precious oxygen as she curled into the fetal position in a futile attempt to minimize the experience. The pain she felt under the Unforgivable cast by Bellatrix during the final battle paled in comparison to the pain inflicted upon her by the husband and wife team. She now had an inclining of what Frank and Alice Longbottom must have felt and she wished, not for the first time, that she's swallowed her Gryffindor pride and left when she had the chance. She'd told Draco she would fight Death himself to return to him and at the moment it sure as hell felt like Death was on her doorstep._

_ "Explain!" a loud baritone cut through her screams effectively stopping the onslaught on her body._

_ "The mudblood angered me," Rodolphus explained, his words seething as his chest heaved with anger._

_ "The mudblood demonstrated a clear lack of respect for her betters," Bella responded grimly, her wand leveled at Hermione and poised to strike._

_ Rodolphus bellowed in anger and lunged for her, grabbing her by the t-shirt and ripping the material off her shoulder. It fell precariously revealing a white lacy bra and it sent the man into a violent frenzy. Her body slammed roughly against the wall as she felt large hands fondle her body roughly. She cried out, tears streaming down her face as her body shook with the after effects of the _Cruciatus_. It couldn't end this way. _

_ "Stand down Lestrange," the voice commanded and immediately Hermione crumpled to the ground in a heap._

_ She turned her head in an attempt to identify the man, but found that her vision blurred slightly. As he moved closer, his movements practiced and deliberate, he grabbed her roughly and pulled her to her feet. She stumbled into him roughly, her mind no longer in control of her body as a wave of nausea rose in her throat as she looked up into the eyes of the man who held her captive anew. If she felt fear before, abject terror coursed through her veins as she spied ice blue eyes and long, platinum blond hair._

_ "No," she moaned as she tried to pull away from him._

_ "I believe I have just the punishment for her," he drawled lazily as he ran a hand down her waist in a clearly lecherous manner, "When I am done with her Rodolphus, you may have her."_

_ Rodolphus leered at her and grinned toothly, "Thank you!"_

_ Sobs wracked her body and she tried to fight against the large hand that was wrapped around her wrist, but whatever fight she had was destroyed after surviving the _Cruciatus_. Each step was painful as her feet could not coordinate and she found herself falling to the ground more often than she could count. Each time she was hoisted roughly to her feet and pulled along behind the tall man and she cried anew seeing his telltale hair flowing behind him in waves. She realized too late why it had been so simple for Draco to waltz in and out of the dungeons when he came to retrieve her. She'd been in Malfoy Manor all along. _


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

Harry and Ron looked to Lucius Malfoy who approached the podium, "I was."

There were no words from the gallery, just stunned silence as every pair of eyes fell on the face of Lucius Malfoy and every person froze in mid-task unable to comprehend this particular turn of events.

"Mr. Malfoy was approached by Rodolphus Lestrange five years ago. It was unclear then, and still is today, how the Lestranges managed to either avoid the effects of the _Avada Kedavra _curse the night of the Final Battle or find themselves resurrected. What we do know is that the Lestranges were central to the new Dark Alliance. Mr. Malfoy was informed of his son's status as an operative in Special Branch from the beginning and upon learning of this new ploy immediately confided in him. After much debate, Mr. Malfoy was recruited and tasked with infiltrating the ranks of the Dark Alliance. His experience in subterfuge during the last war made him a prime candidate for this mission; however, due to certain information finding its way into the pages of _The Daily Prophet _revealing Mr. Malfoy's role in the Final Battle he was also under great scrutiny from the group. Over the last five years the intelligence he has provided Special Branch has led to numerous arrests and has proven invaluable to dismantling the organization. It was the information he provided to Special Branch that alerted us to the whereabouts of Deputy Minister Granger and it was Draco Malfoy who attempted the initial retrieval. As mentioned, Deputy Minister Granger chose to remain behind to further the investigation at great cost to her person. Mr. Malfoy notified his son yesterday at 17:30 that the Lestranges planned to move against the Deputy Minister after receiving the approval from their self-imposed leader. He discovered Deputy Minister Granger under the wand of both Rodolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange suffering from the effects of a double _Cruciatus_. Subsequently, Mr. Malfoy removed Deputy Minister Granger from the premises under the guise of further torture and abuse at which time he signaled for the Auror Team, and his son, to begin moving on the Manor," Harry explained as he removed his glasses, closing his eyes momentarily as he braced himself for what was to come next.

"Mr. Malfoy, where is your son?" the reporter from _The Daily Prophet_ asked as she rose to her feet.

He shouldn't have been surprised by the question. It was quite clear that Draco was not to be found in the building. He was surprised that it had taken this long for someone to bloody well ask the question. It made his blood boil that after everything his son had done, after everything he had sacrificed, that his life meant so little to people. Lucius opened his mouth to speak and thought better of it and he spied movement off stage out of the corner of his eye. Hermione Granger, waving off a distraught Ronald Weasley, slowly made her way back to the podium. She her place by his Lucius', sliding her hand in his, and squeezed it tightly in a sign of comfort and strength. He looked at her as though he were seeing her for the first time. After everything she'd witnessed in the last 24-hours, after everything she'd experienced, this woman was offering _him_ comfort! By all rights she should be locked in a St. Mungos Spell Damage Ward until such time that her mind could be healed, but here was Hermione Granger, Gryffindor Lioness, protecting them all until the bitter end. It was enough to make him weep.

_Hermione felt herself being propelled forward, her hands and knees connecting with an immaculate marble floor as the door slammed behind her. She scrambled to her feet to the best of her ability and took several steps backward to distance herself from the imposing man before her. _

"_Don't you dare Lucius Malfoy!" she growled as she tried desperately to cover her body, her eyes wild with fear._

_With those five words Lucius Malfoy felt every bit his age, felt the weight of every mistake he'd ever made, and wondered at the futility of it all, "Hermione, you don't honestly believe I would harm you in any way."_

_She blinked twice and regarded him with suspicion, "They deferred to you."_

"_To them I am their superior," he told her quietly as he took a single step forward._

_Hermione moved backward quickly crashing into the bedside table, "Don't come any closer!"_

"_Hermione," he sighed as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration, "I told Draco he should have carried you out of here when he had the opportunity. I told him that you would suffer at the hand of those deranged lunatics. His eyes told me, Hermione, that he knew everything I told him to be true but still did not take you with him! Why? Because you would never forgive him for it! Oh you love him well enough, that much any fool can see, but under the surface you still wonder whether or not he is going to turn on you."_

_She shuddered violently, sinking to the floor as her eyes went wide with the accusation, "I—"_

"_He doesn't blame you and neither do I," Lucius told her softly as he crossed the room quickly and sank to one knee beside her, "No matter what we do to try to atone for our past misdeeds to you, it will never be enough to erase the mark on our character. Perhaps it is wise to proceed with caution. Slytherins are a slippery bunch."_

_She sat there frozen as she tried to digest everything he had told her, but a dull roar pounded her ear drums making her vision blur and her stomach want to retch. She felt his hand on her cheek and heard the murmured incantation before a warmth enveloped her cheek healing the wound inflicted by Bellatrix Lestrange earlier that day._

"_Thank you," she whispered, her bottom lip trembling as his eyes searched her face for other injuries._

"_You are my daughter," Lucius smiled sadly as he brushed a wild lock of hair from her face, "I extended the same love and the same loyalty long before you chose to marry my son in that infernal casino in Las Vegas. Really Hermione, even I believed you to have grander aspirations for your wedding."_

_She chuckled softly and took in a deep, steadying breath," He knew you wouldn't approve."_

"_Rebellious until the end, eh?" Lucius clucked as he placed a hand under her arm, lifting her to her feet._

"_You're working for Special Branch," it was a statement not a question._

"_Yes," he sighed as he led her over to a chair and lowered her gently to the seat before walking to the bathroom to rummage through the medicine cabinets._

"_How long?"_

"_Five years, Hermione," he told her as he returned with three potions, turning each label to her in turn, "Pepper Up. Skelegrow. My personal favorite, the last potion devised by Severus Snape, something to take the edge off the effects of the _Cruciatus_."_

_Hermione raised an eyebrow in disbelief, but downed each potion in succession, "Foul."_

"_Aiding a mudblood Lucius? I'm surprised at you!" a voice from the doorway had slipped in unseen._

_Hermione turned to the man at the front of the room and found herself dumbstruck, "You!"_

"_Run when I tell you to Hermione, Draco is on his way," Lucius was able to project using _Legillimens_ and she was forced to turn her attention to him momentarily before she heard, "Do not defy me witch. Run out of this room, down the stairs to the second floor, and to Draco's chambers. Wait there."_

_She nodded imperceptibly, hoping the elder Malfoy understood that she would indeed follow his command. Lucius drew himself to full height and squared off at the intruder. In an instant the entire floor shook as a loud explosion racked the Manor and both men drew their wands uttering the darkest of curses. Hermione dove to the ground, rolling on newly mended bones, and reached for the barrette in her hair as the two men dueled in close proximity. Hermione spied the open door and heard Lucius' call to run. She sprinted past the intruder, slamming the door behind her and tore off down the hallway as he commanded. As she rounded the corner leading to the staircase she collided with a solid wall of muscle. She screamed like a banshee as strong arms enveloped her as she flailed arms and legs in an attempt to break free._

"_Hermione!" a voice yelled as he tried to subdue her, "Hermione it's me! Merlin! Stop hitting me! You're tiny but you pack a punch! Stop it!"_

_She immediately fell silent as she looked into the steel grey eyes of her husband, "I should have listened! I should have listened to you! I'm sorry Draco! I'm sorry for not listening to you!"_

_He frowned and pulled the witch closer to him, his grip firm but protective as he rested his chin on top of her head, "My brave little lioness. I love you. Never forget that."_

_She inhaled his scent feeling safe for the first time in what seemed like an eternity, "Are you alone?"_

_Draco shook his head as he pushed her away from him slightly, his eyes roaming her body for any sign of damage, "No, there's a team of Aurors downstairs. Are you hurt?"_

"_No," she lied and then under his scrutiny amended, "Your father healed—Oh Merlin! Your father! He's dueling with Flagstone!"_

"_The Minister of MLE?" Draco frowned as he searched her face for confirmation._

"_In there—"_

"_Draco, you disappoint me!" a familiar baritone drawled from behind._

_Draco pushed Hermione behind him as he readied his wand, staring at the imposing figure of his father before him, "It's a bit tiring playing out this game of father-son showdown considering my father and I made peace years ago. Impersonating Lucius Malfoy? Really? Polyjuice? It's so cowardly!"_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

Harry opted to ignore the question and continue with his debrief, "Draco Malfoy led the Auror Unit to Maloy Manor at 19:00. The team consisted of Aurors Cho Chang, Malcom Tacklebury, Finneas McKellan, Aurora Plinkette, Ginevra Weasley, Ronald Weasley and me. Draco modified the wards to allow the team to apparate directly to the Manor Travelling Room which bought us precious time. Cho, Malcom, Finneas and I immediately engaged the Lestranges as Ron, Ginny, and Aurora moved to secure the perimeter. Draco left the scene and made his way to the 3rd floor where he knew Deputy Minister Granger was safely hidden within his parents' bedchambers. What transpired next is quite uncertain as we are still interviewing the Auror team – Deputy Minister Granger reported seeing Minister Flagstone of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement enter into a duel with Lucius Malfoy. Mr. Malfoy was overpowered and Minister Flagstone assumed his identity. He was met by Draco Malfoy and Deputy Minister Granger on the second floor at which time Draco recognized Flagstone as an imposter and entered into a Wizard's Duel."

_Draco grabbed Hermione's hand and flew down the stairs two at a time, dragging her fatigued body behind him as he dodged Dark curses thrown by the Lucius Malfoy imposter. The stairwell was too confining to adequately mount an offensive and it barely provided enough cover to dodge what was hurled their way. If the stairs didn't wind and provide some measure of cover he was certain that either he or Hermione would have been severely injured. They just needed to make it to the foyer! Hermione stumbled as they reached the bottom of the staircase and her body slid across the polished marble floor slamming into one of the tables in the far corner. Draco quickly knelt down beside her, checking for injury, and turned his wand back to the staircase as the double landed in the foyer, a sneer worthy of the true elder Malfoy and menace in his eyes._

_ "I never expected _you_ of all people to debase yourself with a mudblood," the double growled as he slowly began to pace to his right, "You were a Death Eater! You so ardently held to pureblood supremacy in your youth! We watched you, Mr. Malfoy. We watched you torment this excuse for a witch and when the Dark Lord was defeated we had hoped that you and your father would continue the cause."_

_ Draco rolled his eyes and shook his head in amazement, "Don't you people get it? Blood is blood. Her blood is as red as mine. She's quicker on the wand than I am. She bested every single one of us in school and managed to even out do most people's expectations as she rose in the ranks of the Ministry. The War is over! Potter won. Voldemort is dead. Good riddance, I say. The bloody menace was a stark raving lunatic with narcissistic tendencies. Living under his rule would have meant slavery for us all you bloody wanker! Voldemort was a half-blood! A half-blood! Why the hell should I listen to pureblood drivel about being superior when the bigot spouting the propaganda wasn't even one of us? I don't share your ideas and neither does my father, but you know that which is why you decided to involve Hermione."_

_ Flagstone smirked as his eyes fell to the prone form of Hermione Granger, "Forcing you to watch as she is tortured will be the proudest moment of my life young Malfoy. She does so have the most delightful screams and I can't wait to sample her ample offerings."_

_ Draco's face hardened, his eyes darkening as he fought to ignore the threat made against his wife and focus on maintaining his composure. Flagstone raised his wand to his forehead in a mock salute signaling his desire to duel. Draco followed his lead and leveled his own Hawthorne at the man. He knew from conversations with Potter that Flagstone had experience in any number of dark curses and judging from the look in his eyes he wouldn't hesitate to use any one of them. There would be no words uttered in this fight, that much was certain as Draco leaped to his right to narrowly avoid a red beam of light fired by his opponent. He rolled to his side, pushing up on his knees and jumping to his feet as he returned the volley with a flash of yellow from his own wand. Flagstone ducked and ran toward him, pure fury in his gaze as he fired several curses in rapid succession at the young man. Draco bent backward at an obscene angle, his back level to the ground as three curses past within inches of his body and then propelled himself sideways, launching a roundhouse kick to Flagstone's head sending the man reeling as Draco lay flat on his stomach. He rolled to his back and rocked backward, shooting up to his feet as he smirked in satisfaction as Flagstone sneered._

_ Hermione's eyes opened slowly, her head throbbing from yet another blow, and her jaw dropped in surprise as she watched the scene unfold before her. A firm hand on her shoulder and a hand covering her mouth caused her to jump, but a gentle voice steadied her._

_ "We need to leave, Hermione," Lucius Malfoy told her as he removed his hand from her mouth and helped her to her feet._

_ "No," she shook her head emphatically, "He might need help. Go find the others."_

_ Lucius nodded curtly as he watched his son deliver a solid backhand to the man who had assumed his identity. His son never ceased to amaze him. Under normal circumstances he may have frowned at the use of Muggle hand-to-hand combat techniques, but he felt enormous satisfaction as the Lucius-double flew back several feet, blood flying in either direction as Draco broke his nose. _

_ "It's like watching something out of the Matrix," Hermione shook her head in amazement, pride swelling as her husband made short work of the mastermind behind this entire ordeal._

_ "The Matrix?" Lucius raised an eyebrow in curiosity._

_ "A Muggle movie. We'll rent it," Hermione smiled brightly as she pulled her wand from her blouse and nodded to Lucius to leave._

_ Draco saw movement out of the corner of his eye and knew that Hermione had made it to her feet. Relief flooded him as he dodged another particularly nasty hex and found himself nearly toe-to-toe with Flagstone. He was vaguely aware of Hermione's screams as he felt a white hot pain lance through his side and heard a sickening crunch as he met the true face of Harvey Flagstone. His eyes lowered to Flagstone's hand as he felt something twist inside of him, piercing flesh and causing him to cry out in pain._

_ "I wish it didn't have to end this way young Malfoy," Flagstone sneered as he released his grip on the small dagger embedded in Draco's side and shrugged his shoulders, "I can see by the look in your eyes you recognize that dagger's hilt as one of the Dark Lord's own collection. It won't be long, but I guarantee it will be painful."_

_ Draco sank to his knees as he felt his throat constrict painfully and could only watch as Flagstone disappeared from the scene with an audible pop. He could see curses pass through the space where Flagstone should have been and he was vaguely aware of a high pitched feminine scream behind him. He sank backward onto his haunches and felt two hands grab him by the upper arms, whiskey eyes peering into his with a look of absolute terror._

_ "Draco!" she cried as she shook him gently, her eyes travelling to his hand wrapped around the hilt of the dagger still firmly embedded in his side._

_ Draco swallowed hard, his eyes wide with the realization that this was not going to end well. He could feel the poison coursing through his blood lighting a fire with every inch it invaded. He fell backward, his strength momentarily leaving him and Hermione found herself leaning over him, reaching for her wand. She began murmuring several advanced healing spells, her hands working furiously as she tried time and again to staunch the flow of blood to no avail. He smiled weakly as he watched her fierce determination. He loved that about her. She never gave up. She never surrendered._

_ "Stop," he rasped as he raised his bloody hand to her face, his eyes imploring her, "Look at me."_

_ Hermione ignored him and continued to utter spell after spell after spell, her pulse racing and her mind frantically searching for a solution to this problem._

_ "Stop!" he yelled and the exertion sent him into a coughing fit._

_ She flinched as she looked into his eyes and in that moment she knew that he did not expect to make it. She tried to steady her breathing, panic setting in, as she once again waved her wand and summoned her _Patronus_. Draco watched in awe as a silver dragon emerged from her wand and chuckled at its significance._

_ "Thought it was an otter," he ground out as he tried to take in several breaths._

_ She ignored him and turned her attention to the dragon in front of her, "Find Harry Potter. Tell him: Draco Malfoy has fallen. In the Foyer. Lucius knows where. Get help or Hermione will kill you. Go! Now!"_

_ "Mia," he whispered as he gasped for air._

_ "Of course it's a dragon you idiot," she told him with a growl as she once again found herself staring at the hilt of the dagger, "That's one of Voldemort's isn't it?_

_ He nodded._

_ "Poisoned," she swallowed as her eyes hardened._

_ He nodded._

_ "How long?"_

_ He managed to look nonplussed as he shrugged, but she could see the sweat forming at his brow and the pinched look of his face as his skin began to turn several shades of white. She sat there frozen, her hands grasping for her husband's as her brain attempted to locate some piece of information – anything – that might change the outcome. Hermione Granger-Malfoy was at a complete loss and for the first time in her life she felt helpless._


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

Ron Weasley looked from Hermione to Lucius to Harry and realized it was this next bit that was going to be the most painful. He and Draco hadn't always seen eye to eye but they'd settled into a comfortable rapport in recent years. He was still "Weasel" and Draco still "Ferret" but the comments were less biting and more jovial in nature. Ron had watched and marveled over Draco's ability to maintain his cover, exuding this arrogant persona in public that made Ron wonder if Draco had been maintaining a cover from the moment he'd set foot on Platform 9 ¾. The persona of Malfoy slowly gave way to Draco and Ron found the man to be excellent company, not to mention a fiercely loyal friend. It was so surreal. In Hogwarts the House of Hufflepuff were touted as loyal and true, yet in reality Ron found they were only loyal to themselves and each other. Never a more cloistered bunch you will find. Slytherin, ironically, seemed to get all of the bad press about self-serving, selfish, and conniving behavior yet Ron realized that to earn a Slytherin's respect and loyalty was a high honor. Trust was not something Slytherins gave easily but once you had it you had it for life. Ron watched as Harry faltered at the podium and decided he needed to share the brunt of this final bit.

"Right then," Ron cleared his throat as he clapped Harry on the back and gave a sad smile to Hermione, "This is the difficult part. During the battle at Malfoy Manor the Auror team sustained several casualties. Cho Chang and Finneas McKellan both fell at the hand of Bellatrix Lestrange before Ginevra Weasley overpowered the witch with a well placed _Avada Kedavra_. Ginny and the remaining Aurors suffered minor injuries that were treated later at St. Mungos and released."

"What of Draco Malfoy?" pressed the reporter from _The Daily Prophet._

_Hermione held his gaze, her eyes filling with tears as she fought the lump in her throat that threatened to constrict her air flow. She held his bloodied hand, her mind unable to comprehend the dagger protruding from his abdomen. His breathing was labored. Every second without help was a second Draco Malfoy was closer to dying. His eyelid drooped as he tried to fight against the pull toward the abyss waiting for him. His beautiful wife was paralyzed with fear, her entire body rigid. He wanted her to hold him, to taste her lips on his as he took his final breath, but that was selfish. It would destroy her. Steeling himself against the inevitable backlash, Draco Malfoy decided he needed to send her away._

_"Let me go, Granger," he told her, his eyes losing their brightness as his hand struggled to keep hold of her cheek; his chest rose sharply and fell even sharper._

_ "I haven't been a Granger for weeks and still you persist," she chuckled uneasily as she held his gaze, her eyes searching his face and recognized his attempt to get her to leave him._

_ "Habit," he grinned sheepishly as he slowly closed his eyes._

_ "Stay with me Draco," she warned him as she tapped his cheek._

_ "Promise me," he turned to her slightly and looked at her intensely, "that you'll settle down with a good man and have a house full of kids."_

_ She looked at him with abject horror, fire dancing behind her eyes as she looked into the waning eyes of the man she loved more than anyone or anything in this world. Her eyes wandered to the growing red stain on his chest and something connected in her brain allowing her to identify the nature of his wound. The angle of the poison tipped dagger had pierced his lung. The poison was undoubtedly deadly but could be countered like most poisons Voldemort had developed. The former Dark Lord was no Severus Snape when it came to potions and he lacked imagination. Lucky for the Wizarding world. The most pressing problem was the fact his lung was collapsing and his brain was slowly being deprived of oxygen. His acceptance of death angered her. Was he so anxious to be rid of her? Her head began shaking of its own accord, denying him the one thing he asked of her as his struggled to take in another breath._

_ "'Mia," he whispered, his eyes filling with tears as he gasped for breath once again, "Let me go."_

_ Schooling her features with a look of fierce determination she grabbed the dagger from the wound and ripped it from his flesh. He howled in pain, his eyes looking to her in confusion. She ignored him, her mind compartmentalizing the situation and working toward a solution. She could do this. She was Hermione Granger and she had something most people didn't – a photographic memory and a Muggle background. Draco clutched his chest as his lungs began to burn and Hermione waved her wand in a series of complex diagnostic spells. She murmured a cleaning spell and the blade was immediately devoid of blood and poison a scant 15 seconds later. She twirled it in her hand so the tip faced downward and she immediately pressed the tip to his neck._

_ "You do not get to leave me, Draco Malfoy," she swallowed hard in an attempt to hide her fear, for what she was about to do would undoubtedly horrify anyone who happened upon them, "I do not want to settle down with a good man and have a house full of kids. I want you. Arrogant bastard. Slytherin Prince. I want a house full of platinum blond, blue-eyed children that will terrorize all of the children in Hogwarts because their beauty, brains, and cunning will be matched by no one. You do not get to tell me to let go because I'll be damned if some deranged psychopath thinks he can take you from me! You belong to me, Draco Malfoy. You. Belong. To. Me. You don't get to die because if you do I swear to Merlin I will locate the Resurrection Stone, force you back to the land of the living, beat you to within an inch of your life and _Avada_ you myself you damned arrogant bastard!"_

_ A single tear trailed down her cheek as her hand began to shake widely, Draco looking from the blade pressed against his throat and the woman he loved. He had never seen her so unhinged and as black spots danced before his eyes, signaling the slow end of him, he wondered whether she was going to have mercy on him and end his life before the poison consumed him._

_She steadied her breathing and closed her eyes in silent prayer before she began to explain, "The blade punctured your right lung, Draco. Your breathing is labored because your lung has collapsed. I need to get a pressure bandage around your chest and then I need to open an airway. You need to trust me and don't you dare die on me."_

_ She waved her wand over his wound and an airtight bandage materialized. Draco gasped for air, his hands flailing wildly as Hermione fought to keep him steady. She ripped his white oxford from his body and repositioned the tip of the blade just to the side of his pectoral muscle._

_ Hermione closed her eyes and willed her brain to call up the images she'd once seen in _the New England Journal of Medicine_ on the subject of chest tubes and began to mumble, "Horizontal line inferior to the axilla, the anterior border of latissimus dorsi and horizontal line superior to the nipple."_

_ She heard Draco cough and gasp again, his lips turning an unhealthy shade of blue as she pierced his flesh with the dagger. She conjured a flexible tube and began to insert it into the hole she'd created. Immediately she heard him take a sharp intake of breath, his air flow restored, and then fall silent. Quickly placing the other end of the tube into a glass jar Hermione cursed and watched as Draco's eyes rolled back in his head._

_ "No!" she growled between pursed lips as the pulse she felt was weak, "Don't leave me Draco! You can't leave me!"_

_ She placed her ear to his chest only to realize that his heart had stopped completely. She stood high on her knees and placed her hands, one on top of the other, two finger spaces from the solar plexus. She pushed down hard and counted to fifteen before pinching his nose and breathing in though his mouth. _

_ "Don't leave me Draco," she cried as she continued with chest compressions, "I need you. Please, I need you with me. I love you! You can't die because of me! You can't die because of me!"_

_Time passed slowly and yet it seemed to go at light speed. The cadence of her voice counting the chest compressions as she worked diligently to save the life of her husband were the only sounds in the room. Occasionally she choked back a sob and wiped tears from her eyes to restore her vision, but Hermione was singular to her task. She vaguely heard the garbled voices of people calling her name, but immediately dismissed them. She wouldn't stop. She had to keep going. He couldn't leave her. Not now. Not after they'd found each other. Her muscles burned in her neck and upper arms, but she had to keep going. It was his only chance. She had to breathe for him and keep his heart going. She had to. She wouldn't let him die. _

_A strong hand on her upper arm tried to wrench her from him, but she snarled and escaped the iron grip and bent down to deliver two quick breaths._

_ "Hermione!" a strong voice commanded as he grabbed once again and pulled her from the prone form of her lover, "Let the Healers do their job!"_

_ "No!" the strangled cry erupted from her lungs as she fought against him, kicking, punching, biting, "No! God no! Please! Save him! Merlin! Draco!"_

_ "Hermione," the man holding her murmured in her ear as he watched the Healers perform a series of diagnostic spells and immediately disapparate from the scene._

_ "No!" she screamed like a banshee and managed to wriggle from his grasp, collapsing to her knees at the spot where Draco fell, "No! Don't leave me! Draco!"_

_ His heart broke as he knelt down beside the distraught woman, his arm wrapping around her shoulder, "The Healers took him to St. Mungos, Hermione. I'll take you there now."_

_ She swallowed hard as she turned to look into piercing green eyes, "Harry?"_

_ He nodded his head slowly, his eyes making a quick appraisal of the situation, "Yeah Hermione. It's me."_

_ She buried her head on his shoulder, her body wracked with sobs as she fisted his shirt and screamed incoherently about Death Eaters and archaic beliefs. In her current state she would be of no use to anyone and his heart broke for her as he surveyed the large stain of blood that marred the pavement and her clothing._

_ "Hermione," he tried quietly, his hands strong and tone forceful, "I need you to come with me to St. Mungos. Draco is there."_

_ "Draco?" she asked quietly, sniffling as she raised her head to meet his eyes._

_ His heart skipped a beat as he saw such hope in her eyes, but knew from the scene that such hope was probably misplaced, "Yeah, let's go see Draco."_

_ "You'll do no such thing Potter!" a voice all too familiar to Hermione piped up from behind._

_ Her eyes went wide as she looked into the face of the man who had stabbed her husband and left him for dead. Fight or flight. Baser emotions and primordial animal instincts heighten as adrenaline is secreted into the blood stream. Hermione reverted. Her entire body coiled, her eyes grew fierce, and she became the Lioness. With a strength that Harry didn't fathom the petite brunette possessing he found himself falling to his backside as she launched herself at the Minister of MLE._

_ Hermione never believed in clichés so when people say they "see red" in a fit of anger she put no stock in the fact that the color actually manifested, until now. She tackled the large man to the ground, her knee dug into his solar plexus, and her hands wrapped around his neck squeezing tightly._

_ "Bastard!" she hissed as her fingers dug into his skin, "You think you can cover this up?"_

_ Cut off oxygen supply or not he was still a cocky bastard, "I can. I will."_

_ "I saw you," she hissed, spit dripping from her mouth as Harry wrenched her from him and wrapped an arm around her waist._

_ "I will ruin you Granger," Flagstone coughed and disapparated from the scene._

_ Harry turned her around sharply and slapped her hard across the face to break her from her mania, "What the hell are you doing Hermione? That was Flagstone!"_

_ She shivered as she regained a modicum of her composure, "Son of a bitch stabbed Draco with one of Voldemort's daggers."_

_ Harry raised an eyebrow, "Perhaps we need to debrief."_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

The room was a bevy of activity as journalists assimilated this new information. The accusation of Minister Flagstone, made earlier, was one thing but the fact that he quite possibly killed the Malfoy heir and then vowed to ruin the Deputy Minister was quite another. It was a scandal worthy of the gossip rags, but somehow it rang true. There had been rumblings for years within certain circles that Harvey Flagstone had darker leanings and because of his position within the Ministry it afforded him the luxury of being able to discretely cover up his proclivities.

"Is Draco Malfoy dead?" someone blatantly asked earning a visible flinch from Hermione.

Until this moment Harry had avoided mentioning the legal union between Hermione and Draco for fear the press would focus on that event rather than the events of the prior evening. He turned to Lucius Malfoy, regarding the older man carefully as he saw the almost imperceptible squeeze of Hermione's hand. He had to admit that he was surprised at Lucius' change of heart regarding Muggleborns, of course Hermione was more than enough of a _person_ for anyone to love.

"Right now the status of Mr. Malfoy is—"

Harry was interrupted by the sound of apparition and a young woman in orange Healer robes, designating her assignment in the Spell Damage Ward of St. Mungos, appeared directly in front of the press corps. She looked around nervously for a moment before setting her gaze on Hermione.

"Mrs. Malfoy," she said firmly as she held out her hand, "I need you to come with me."

Hermione froze as the room once again buzzed as the title was not lost on the group. Lucius smirked in a way that rivaled Draco and gave Hermione a gentle push.

"Mrs. Malfoy," the Healer pressed.

"Go Hermione," Lucius told her gently as he led her down the stairs to the young Healer, "I will be right behind you. Let me finish with Potter. Go tend to your husband. You've done all you can. I am proud of you Hermione."

Hermione nodded slowly and took the Healer's hand. Before she could open her mouth to ask how Draco fared she felt the tug of apparition pulling her out of the room. Lucius Maloy turned to the group of journalists before him with a look at left no room for argument: The subject of Draco and Hermione's marriage was not to be broached.

"Uh," Harry began evenly as he looked to Ron and then back at Lucius, "Mr. Malfoy's status was listed as critical early this morning. Mr. Malfoy suffered minor dark hexes to the body and was stabbed in the lower lung by a dagger coated in suspicious poison. The dagger was verified magically and visually as one of Voldemort's personal collection. This collection was confiscated at the end of the War and held in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Only myself and the Minister had access to the collection."

"Do you know the whereabouts of Minister Flagstone?"

"Have you informed the Minister of Magic?"

"Why attack Hermione Granger?"

Lucius stepped to the podium and nodded to Harry, "Allow me. Minister Flagstone fled the scene after Deputy Minister Malfoy became…agitated. His whereabouts are currently unknown. The Minister of Magic was debriefed prior to the press conference. To the question of why Minister Flagstone would attack Hermione when he worked in close contact with her on a daily basis using the Lestranges? Revenge. When Hermione and Draco wed they did so in America in a Muggle ceremony. Unbeknownst to them, the individual who performed the ceremony was an American Wizard. He filed the requisite paperwork in the state of Nevada which alerted the American Wizarding Bureau who, in turn, notified the British Ministry. When it was discovered that my son had married the most prominent Muggleborn in Wizarding Britain, well, we will simply say that the Dark Alliance had hoped Draco would ally himself with their cause. You have already been apprised of the plan to murder her and I see no reason to offer any further information on the subject. Now, if you will excuse me."

"Ron," Harry called to his friend, "Go with Lucius. I'll stay here to answer any questions."

"Are you sure mate?" Ron frowned as he clapped his friend on his shoulder.

"Yeah, I'll be along shortly."

Harry yawned as he turned his attention back to the media who, for the first time in his career, appeared to be unable to speak or formulate a complete thought. Harry smiled as he shuffled his paperwork. Leave it to Malfoy to render a room speechless.

Hermione was immediately ushered past the nurse's station and into a poorly lit hallway. She wondered why the Spell Damage Ward had such poor lighting, but honestly didn't have the energy to ask. She was led into a small room, a single bed in the corner where the pale, unmoving form of her husband lay. His skin looked translucent in the fluorescent lighting and the alabaster walls seemed to make the light look harsh. She hadn't realized that she'd stopped until she heard the sound of someone clearing their throat.

"Mrs. Malfoy," the man began quietly as he held a hand out to her, motioning for her to come forward, "My name is Healer Ford and I am responsible for your husband's care."

Hermione felt one foot move in front of the other, her body moving of its own accord. There were spells cast around the bed, she could feel the essence of magic in and around Draco. He was dressed in a grey hospital gown, the only color in the stark room, and his face looked deathly still. She reached out and brushed a lock of his platinum hair from his brow and swallowed hard, fighting back the tears.

"Mrs. Malfoy," Healer Ford prodded gently as he placed a hand on her shoulder, "why don't we sit down, eh?"

She nodded slowly, her hand reaching for Draco's as she twined her fingers in his giving him a light squeeze. She half expected him to leap from the bed and give her a right scare. He loved to pull pranks. She's discovered that about him soon after their 12th date when he and the Weasley twins conspired to get her to sit on a whoopee cushion. She found her lips twitching at the memory.

"Oh Draco," she sighed as she looked away from him for a moment.

"He is very lucky to be alive, Mrs. Malfoy," the Healer began now that he had her attention, "It was your quick thinking, as I understand it, that kept his body functioning until we could properly see to him here."

"I don't remember much about it really," she confessed as she returned her gaze to the gentle rise and fall of Draco's chest, the rhythm lulling her into a peace she'd not felt since she'd last seen him.

The Healer smiled sadly and patted her knee, "We have done what we can for him, Mrs. Malfoy. The poison was removed from his system and his lung repaired. Several of the dark curses compounded the process, but we were able to compensate."

"Will he—" she sobbed as tears began to stream down her cheek.

"He is in a coma," the Healer explained softly," That is not uncommon in these circumstances. It's up to him now, my dear. The longer he remains in a coma the less likely he is to awake at all, I do need to inform you. Still, your husband is strong and if I remember correctly is quite tenacious as well."

Hermione laughed despite her tears, "Yes, he is that."

"I will leave you with him. Muggle medicine has often said that when a patient is in a coma he or she can still hear those around him. Perhaps your voice will bring him around," he said as he rose to his feet and moved to the door.

"Thank you Healer Ford."

Hermione turned her attention to Draco and sighed as she leaned forward to give him a tender kiss on the lips, "Come back to me Draco."

A light knock on the door roused her momentarily and she turned around quickly to meet the intense blue gaze of Draco's mother, "Hermione dear, are you all right?"

"As well as I can be under the circumstances Narcissa," she responded quietly as she turned her attention back to Draco."

Narcissa entered the room slowly, her demeanor no longer that of a pureblood witch but that of a concerned mother, "Hermione, when was the last time you ate?"

"He's in a coma, Narcissa," Hermione avoided the question opting to instead explain the circumstances to her, "They've repaired all the damage but it's up to him now."

The blonde woman nodded and placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder, "My dear, he would fight the devil himself if it meant coming back to you. Don't you worry. Now, I'll inform your friends and my husband of the situation. I'll have Mipsy bring you some dinner, dear. It would do no good to have you admitted alongside my son."

"My friends?"

"Of course dear. Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley, and Miss Chang are all in the outer corridor. Lucius is here as well. We do not wish to intrude upon your time with Draco. We will be here should you need us."

Hermione nodded in a daze, "Thank you Narcissa."

Hermione leaned forward and rested her head on Draco's shoulder, closing her eyes as she listened to the sound of him breathing. It was such a stark contrast to what she'd seen so many hours before. Shaking her head she forced her mind not to think about those agonizing moments. He'd asked her to let him go. That infuriated her. Her body tensed.

"You said it to piss me off," she murmured just a few inches from his ear, "You told me to let you go because you knew it would piss me off. You knew that it would clear my head. You are such a Slytherin bastard. I swear to Merlin I will throttle you when you wake up. Don't you dare ever say that to me again! Even if it's for my own good!"

She allowed her tears to fall on his shoulder and froze when she could have sworn she heard, "You're drowning me Granger. Throttling won't be necessary."

Her head slowly rose from Draco's shoulder and found herself looking into his silver eyes, "Draco?"

"I'm sorry," he told her, his tongue licking his dry lips as he struggled to remain awake.

"Doesn't matter," she shook her head adamantly as she squeezed his hand tightly, her head resting on his chest, "You're here now."

A knock on the door startled her and she'd half expected it to be Draco's mother. She smiled brightly and turned to the new occupant of the room, but composed herself when she realized it was another Healer.

"Another potion for Mr. Malfoy," the Healer explained gruffly as he made his way to the other side of the bed.

"He's awake," Hermione beamed as she once again fiddled with Draco's hair.

"I'm sure the bloke can see that," Draco told her with a sly grin and turned to the Healer, who visibly started when she mentioned that he was awake.

"I see," the Healer responded evenly as he held the potion to Draco's lips, "Drink up m'boy. It'll cure what ails you."

Draco felt the cool liquid pass his lips and recognized immediately that it was no restorative. The Healer quickly made his way from the room as Draco tried to squeeze Hermione's hand but found his grip was sorely lacking at the moment. Hermione turned her gaze from the door back to Draco and froze as he began to convulse.

"Poison," was all he said before his eyes rolled back into his head.

Hermione jumped to her feet, wand drawn, and ran down the hallway screaming for bloody murder. An alarm blared through the Spell Damage Ward causing several Healers to convene on Draco's room. Harry watched as Hermione barreled through the crowd, her wand raised, and a spell he'd never imagined she'd ever hear fall from her lips.

"_Crucio!_" she growled and a man in brown Healer robes fell to the ground.

Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Cho rose to their feet slowly as Narcissa placed a firm hand on Lucius' chest to steady him, "Hermione—"

"You son-of-a-bitch!" she hissed as she grabbed the cowering man by the robes and slammed him hard into the wall.

"You're crazy!" he spat, his eyes sparking as he looked down at her, "I'll have you in Azkaban for this!"

"I'll see you there first," she snapped as she waved her wand in a series of complex motions.

"You four! You're Aurors! Arrest her!" he snapped, his body trembling from the after effects of the _Cruciatus_.

When Hermione finished her wand movements a name floated into the air on a puff of smoke. It read: Harvey Flagstone. Hermione cried out like a banshee and brought her knee to his groin. He doubled over in pain as her elbow connected with the back of his neck. She kicked him repeatedly in the ribs before Lucius wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her off of the man.

"She's a menace!" Flagstone growled as he wiped the blood from his lips.

Cho Chang knelt down beside her former boss and whispered a spell. Immediately his hands were bound and she delivered a well placed kick to the abdomen for good measure. She took her place beside Harry and shrugged nonchalantly.

"Give me one good reason not to let her beat you to a bloody pulp," Lucius leveled his gaze to the fallen Ministry official.

"Doesn't matter," Flagstone laughed evilly, "He's done for now Malfoy."

Hermione wriggled in Lucius' arms, a howl worthy of a werewolf escaping her lips as she broke free. She leveled her wand at the man, her chest heaving in anger, her magic crackling all around her in an uncontrollable display. She wanted him to suffer. She wanted him to pay. As her lips formed the two words she most wanted to say she felt the darkness consume her and felt her knees connect with the hard floor.


	10. Epilogue

**--**

_Thank you to sofia who pointed out that Cho had indeed died in the battle at Malfoy Manor. Lol I guess I didn't want the feisty Ravenclaw to really meet her demise after all. I'll go back and edit the previous chapter to have Ginny kick Flagstone. _

**Epilogue:**

It was a cool, crisp October morning. The wind blew the orange and red leaves in circles around her feet as she slid her hands under her thighs for added warmth as she leaned back slightly on the park bench. The collar of her black trench coat pulled high on her neck, her unruly chestnut hair safely contained behind the jacket in an effort to keep it from blowing in the same way the leaves seemed to skirt across the pebbled path in front of her. The peeling laughter of children roused her from her moment of introspection and she smiled sadly as she watched a small group of children no more than 4-years old playing on the swings, slides, and monkey bars that the small park provided. She sighed heavily and once again began to gaze down at her black boots as though they were the most interesting thing she'd ever seen. She hated October 9th and she'd rather be at home, wrapped beneath the quilt her gran had made for her 17th birthday, glass of firewhiskey in hand than to be out here so bloody exposed to the elements, to people in general. She had long been coming to this park as it was generally far away from prying eyes, but as she'd shared her secret refuge with friends she also noticed that the press never seemed to far behind. Even after five years the former Deputy Minister of Magical Law Enforcement was a hot commodity to them. It seemed like she could barely go a week without making some blasted headline in _The Daily Prophet_. A scowl graced her normally soft face as she folded her arms across her chest, her mind intent to remember the events that led up to October 9th despite the fact that she had no desire to remember any of it. It was a chapter in her life that had caused her so much pain, yet was the source of her greatest joy. Such a dichotomy. To be so blissful when remembering that time and so absolutely terrified. She had lost her mind. It terrified her. During the War she had tried desperately to avoid taking a human life, but she'd discovered early on that Death Eaters held no such compulsion. She'd only killed twice and that was out of necessity – once when her own life was in danger and once when she'd seen Ron cornered. Her mind had been focused, determined, and practical when she'd uttered the spell. Her heart pounded in her chest as she felt a twinge of remorse despite those circumstances. That night at St. Mungos was different. She wasn't driven by self-preservation that night. She was driven by rage and vengeance. It was a heady feeling. Power coursed through her veins like a drug and she wanted nothing more than to demonstrate that she was not a witch to be trifled with to anyone who dared come after someone she loved. She closed her eyes and took in a ragged breath as the feelings associated with that night felt rose to the surface. She thanked God and whatever deity might be out there that he'd stopped her in time from committing one of the most heinous acts she could ever have imagined. She hadn't felt that way at the time, mind you. When the stunner wore off she was feral. It was pure luck that the Healers had restrained her in a bed of her own. She remembered struggling with her restraints and gingerly rubbed her wrists at the phantom pain the memory caused. It could take nearly 3 months for Flagstone to recover sufficiently to stand trial for his misdeeds. October 9th. The day Flagstone was sentenced to Azkaban. She'd watched with glee and satisfaction as he received The Kiss only moments later. Her feelings were so bitter that she raised a mock salute to him and reminded him that she'd see him in hell first, as she had so many months prior. It was a side of her that no one had before witnessed. Flagstone had done what Voldemort couldn't have done. He broke her.

"Mummy?" a small voice asked hesitantly as a small hand gently tugged at her coat.

Hermione was startled from her reverie and quickly wiped the single tear that had fallen from her cheek, her attention turned to the young boy at her feet, "Yes baby?"

He climbed up onto the bench and sat next to her, his piercing blue eyes catching hers as he frowned, "You look sad."

She chuckled as she pulled the little cherub into her lab and rubbed his light brown hair, he was always so damned perceptive, "Mummy was just thinking."

"Oi! Alex!" a voice bellowed and Hermione smiled to see Ron beckoning for the youngster, "Don't leave like that without telling me!"

Alex lowered his head and slid off the bench, his hand on his mother's knee, "Mummy, don't be sad. Come play with Rory and me and Lily and Rose and Hugo and Luke! We're playing Aurors and Death Eaters!"

Hermione raised an eyebrow as she caught the blue eyes of Ron and mouthed "Aurors and Death Eaters?" Ron had the courtesy to look sheepish and shrug as he walked up to them both. He hoisted Alex into his arms, the boy squealing with delight.

"C'mon mate. Let's get back to the others, yeah and leave your mum some time to herself," Ron smiled as he nodded back toward the playground.

"Ok," Alex sighed and then looked back over his mother's shoulder, a brilliant smile forming from ear to ear.

Hermione smiled as she heard the tell tale sign of expensive leather shoes and the tip of a cane hitting pavement with each stride. It was hard to miss and she'd grown accustom to it over the years. There was no doubt in her mind why Alex smiled so brilliantly – he always held that smile for him. She watched as Ron tried to contain the rambunctious 4-year old but conceded defeat as he quickly set him on his feet. He shook his head in amazement as the boy ran headlong around the bench and down the path into the waiting arms of the man who had just arrived.

"Little monkey," the man drawled as he placed a kiss on Alex's cheek, "What did we say about running off like that?"

Alex frowned, his eyes thoughtful as he tried to remember what he'd been told so many times, "That I'm not supposed to do it."

"Right," he smirked as he strode over to Hermione, holding the boy with one arm, "And why is that?"

The boy frowned again in concentration, "Because I could get hurt."

"That's right," he told him sternly as he handed the child back to his mother, then gently squeezed her shoulder.

Alex looked down at his mother and then back up again, "But Daddy, it was just you!"

He laughed heartily as he brushed his son's hair from his eyes, "Yes, son. It's just me. Run along with your Uncle Ron would you? I want to have a word with your mum."

Alex quickly kissed his mother and wriggled off the bench, taking Ron's hand and returning to the playground. Hermione smiled as she looked into steel colored eyes as his hand gently cupped her face. She craved his touch even now.

"Why do you do this to yourself, love?" he asked quietly as he moved around the bench and gingerly lowered himself next to her.

Hermione sighed and lowered her head to his shoulder, "I was so scared."

He peered down at her, moving away slightly, "Love, it was five years ago. It all worked out in the end."

"Draco, you could have died!" she pulled back and searched his face.

"I didn't love," he told her as he held his arms wide in show, "I'm here, in the flesh. The leg never healed right, bloody bastard, but it gave me the chance to teach at Hogwarts where I spend every waking moment with the woman I love. I should be thanking the bastard."

Hermione closed her eyes and snuggled closer as they watched the children play together. Draco smiled as two blond children, upon speaking with Alex, popped their heads up from their playtime and immediately dash away from the playground.

"It appears that none of your children have learned that they should not run off without telling an adult," he grinned as he kissed the top of Hermione's head.

"Why are my children when they misbehave, but are your children when they do something brilliantly?" she quirked her eyebrow and watched as all three of their children convened on them.

"Don't worry mummy!" Alex called as he took in short breaths, "I told Uncle Ron!"

"That's my boy!" Draco smiled proudly, earning an elbow from Hermione as she lifted the young girl with curly, platinum locks and bright blue eyes into her lap.

"So, what have you and Luke been up to Rory?" Hermione smiled as she kissed her daughter on the nose.

"Luke and Alex were building a sandcastle," she told her mother, her brilliant blue eyes widening with excitement that only a 2-year old could have.

"Did you boys include your sister?" Draco asked seriously as he looked from his twin sons.

"Yes daddy," they rolled their eyes and answered in unison.

"Good lads," he smiled as he patted the seat next to him, "So, what would you like to do today? You have mummy and me all to yourselves."

The three children looked at their parents with wide-eyed wonder and then looked to each other. No words were spoken, but they all seemed to have the same idea because they all said in unison.

"See Grandpere and Grandmere!"

Hermione shook her head and smiled. The children idolized their grandparents – especially Luke, who was named after his grandpere. Draco scooped both boys into his arms and twirled them around.

"Malfoy Manor it is!" he smiled brilliantly as Hermione rose to her feet, Rory in her arms.

"Ron!" Hermione waved to get the red head's attention, "Thank you! We're off!"

"See you Sunday at the Burrow?" he called back as he picked up a squirming red haired boy.

"Wouldn't miss it mate!" Draco called back and then leaned in to kiss his wife.

"Ew!" Alex frowned and Luke rolled his eyes.

"I love you Hermione Malfoy," Draco purred as he ignored the protests of his sons.

"And I you, Draco Malfoy," she grinned, her melancholy mood broken as they apparated away from the park in two quick pops.


End file.
